


Sparks and Steel

by TCRose



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Action & Romance, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Romance, F/M, Jenova Project (Compilation of FFVII), Minor Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough, On The Way To A Smile (Compilation of FFVII) Spoilers, Slow Burn, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:46:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 210,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26940859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TCRose/pseuds/TCRose
Summary: Tifa must choose between the man she's loved since her childhood and a man she once considered her enemy. Meanwhile the world is becoming overrun with fiends, and no one knows why.Incorporates some elements of On The Way To A Smile and Advent Children but does NOT take place in those worlds.
Relationships: Cid Highwind/Shera, Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart & Reno, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart/Reno
Comments: 7
Kudos: 33





	1. The Planet's Crisis

**Author's Note:**

> Standard Disclaimer: If a character has a name, they belong to Square Enix and not to me.
> 
> Some dialogue in this chapter taken from On The Way To A Smile: Case of Tifa.

Darkness had shrouded the planet as Meteor drew closer. From Wutai to Midgar, the sun had been blocked by the giant fireball as it approached the world's largest metropolis, which had already been reeling since Diamond Weapon's attack on the city.

Tifa Lockhart supported herself on the railing around the deck of the Highwind, watching the horror that was taking place on the ground beneath the airship.

Holy had not come fast enough, even though Aerith had summoned it before Sephiroth summoned Meteor. By the time Holy arrived, Meteor was close to hitting the planet where Shinra HQ once reached the sky. As Nanaki pointed out, it was too late for Holy; the heavenly summon was having the opposite effect.

Even worse, Meteor was threatening the planet despite their best efforts to change their futures. They had literally fought fate before leaving Midgar all those months ago, yet every horrible vision they had seen in the Shinra headquarters and from Sephiroth had come true. Aerith had still died; murdered by Sephiroth's masamune blade through her heart. Meteor was still summoned and was now destroying Midgar. They had done everything right, yet they had still failed.

Tifa watched as the city that had once been her home was engulfed in a bright orange light in the sky, and a bluish-white light on the ground. Cyclones reached from Meteor to the city below, destroying homes, businesses, and the plate itself. Though she couldn't see the people below, she knew the terror they were experiencing – it was the same terror she felt as she climbed the tower that held up the Sector 7 plate.

She and her fellow AVALANCHE members learned just before heading into the Northern Crater that Rufus Shinra had been missing and presumed dead after Diamond Weapon attacked the Shinra building. Even though the thought of Shinra falling had been AVALANCHE's ultimate goal in the beginning, she couldn't help but worry about the people who worked there just trying to make a living. Sure, Rufus was evil, but the average worker at the company, though they were contributing to the planet's destruction, just wanted to support their families. She didn't want them all to suffer.

They had seen the remaining living Turks – Reno, Rude, and Elena – in Midgar not too long ago. Were they still alive? If any part of Shinra deserved to perish, it was the Turks. They destroyed Sector 7 by dropping the plate and had continued trying to kill her and her friends as they tried to save the world and stop Sephiroth.

Tifa knew that Reeve, at least, had survived among the top executives of the company, but she only knew that because Cait Sith was still operational. The robotic cat had given them a message from Reeve worrying that he had sentenced more people to death by begging them to take shelter from Meteor in the slums. She didn't know what other choice the people of the city had, given the damage currently being wrought by Meteor. There was nowhere safe to turn, and escape wasn't an option as there were only a few doors along the outer wall allowing passage, and those had probably created a bottleneck of people trying to flee.

Tifa worried about Marle and Andrea Rhodea, hoping they were able to save the people of their respective sectors. Wall Market may have been an awful place, but not everyone there deserved to die. Andrea had helped Cloud rescue her and helped her release stress before they climbed the plate to save Aerith from Shinra. Chocobo Sam had helped her get a meeting with Don Corneo and had been kind to her. She knew others who had helped Cloud find her as well, and Leslie Kyle may still be in the city searching for his fiancée. Tifa didn't want them to suffer, nor anyone she had once called her neighbor in Sector 7.

And even though Midgar seemed to be Meteor's main focus, Kalm was close enough that it could be destroyed as well. Tifa glanced over in Kalm's direction. It was illuminated by the light of Meteor, but no cyclones appeared to have reached it yet. Tifa prayed that Elmyra and Marlene were safe.

Cloud stood next to her, leaning against the railing with his back to Meteor and Holy. He had already experienced so much pain and suffering in his life – Nibelheim, his imprisonment, Aerith – he didn't want to see any more. He also felt that if this were the beginning of the end, he would rather not see death coming for him. Instead, he stared intently at the wooden deck under his feet. He found himself studying the wood grain and counting the number of planks. He could only count a few before the Highwind would jolt due to turbulence and he would lose his place.

On about his fourth attempt at counting, Tifa suddenly spoke up. Everyone had become silent after they realized Holy was not stopping Meteor, lost in their own thoughts and fears. From up here, on a ship as fast as the Highwind, they might be able to survive for a while and outrun Meteor, but their loved ones below had no such option.

"What's that!?" she asked, extending her right arm and pointing off into the distance.

Cloud begrudgingly diverted his attention away from the deck to follow her gaze. He looked in the general direction in which she was pointing but saw nothing except for a black landscape silhouetted by the distant light from the calamity.

"Where?" he asked, squinting to try and see what she was referring to.

"There!" she said, jabbing her finger in the same direction as before. There really wasn't more she could do.

Cloud continued to squint and try to stare beyond where her finger was pointing. Barret was standing to Tifa's left, doing the same. Finally, they both saw it.

At first it was faint, just a small greenish-white dot somewhere in the mountains. But soon, the dot grew larger, and the light emanating from it began to elongate until it started snaking its way through the air toward Meteor and Holy. Each stream of light was white in the middle with streaks of green encircling it and directing it forward.

"What the hell IS that…?" Barret asked as more lights appeared, seemingly throughout the world.

"…..Lifestream," Cloud answered.

The three were joined at the railing by Vincent, Nanaki, and Cait Sith. Cid, of course, was helping to fly the ship, and Yuffie was trying to keep her motion sickness from getting the best of her.

The group watched as green tendrils of light streaked across the earth to meet Holy in the depression that it had created with Meteor over Midgar. No one said anything, wondering if the Lifestream would be able to stop the calamity. That was Holy's job, and look how that turned out. Tifa realized she was holding her breath as she watched the planet become enveloped in the green light. She let out a deep breath and watched as the Lifestream from around the world reached Meteor and Holy.

She had nearly resigned herself to watching the planet die from the airship before perishing herself, but now she had hope again.

The Lifestream seemed to be joining with the calamity. No, not merging; taking over. The streaks of green light didn't stop at the edges of Holy; they changed direction and began climbing up and onto Meteor. Within minutes of its first appearance (though it felt like an eternity to those witnessing the event) the Lifestream had completely covered Holy and Meteor. The outer shape of the calamity remained, but it was no longer blue and orange – it was now completely green. The walls within Midgar could no longer be seen.

For what felt like another eternity, the light remained this way, like a giant green mushroom cloud. And then… the Lifestream began to retract, as if being rewound to where it had come from. As the ends of the tendrils returned to the ground, the watching members of AVALANCHE noticed that Meteor was gone. There was no explosion, no crack of sound or additional flash of light. Meteor had just… vanished. As the Lifestream withdrew further, they could see the same had happened with Holy. It was as if the planet had absorbed them.

Tifa's mouth dropped open as she watched the scene play out in front of her. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. She didn't look around her to see the expressions on the faces of her friends, who were as stunned as she was. It looked like things were going to be okay – except for Midgar.

When the Lifestream retreated past Holy but not completely back into the planet yet, Tifa could see Midgar city partially illuminated. While it was not a crater, as had been expected, it was by no means in good shape. The twisters and Meteor had done considerable damage before Holy even arrived, and the power of the white light caused its own destruction. Tifa wondered if anyone was able to survive.

Satisfied that the Lifestream's retreat meant the planet had saved itself, Tifa looked up into the heavens.

"Thank you," she said softly, to Aerith.

She then looked around to her companions, who were still watching the event with awe. When she looked to her right, at Cloud, she noticed he was smiling. He wasn't looking at anything in particular, but she knew that he must have been silently thanking Aerith, as she had.

Tifa couldn't help but smile at Cloud. The last time he had looked that peaceful was when he had fallen asleep after their night together under the Highwind when she thought no one was watching.

Cloud suddenly felt that he was being watched. He glanced over to find that Tifa was, in fact, staring at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, his eyebrows knitting together with concern.

"Cloud, you're smiling," Tifa responded, tilting her head.

"I am?"

"Yeah," she said with a giggle.

Cloud knew he wouldn't be able to explain it to her. He felt a great burden lifted from his shoulders.

"Everything starts now. A new…" he began, searching for the right words. "A new life."

As he watched Meteor, Holy, and the Lifestream, he had felt hopeless. Yet now it seemed like the planet would survive. He would survive.

"I'm going to live. I think that's the only way I can be forgiven," he told Tifa. "We've been through … all sorts of things."

Tifa looked at him, her smile growing wider. After everything they had been through, after all of his misery and disinterest, maybe things were finally going to change for the better.

"I guess you're right…" she said.

He was not the only one who had been miserable all this time. Sure, she hid it better than most in order to be the rock the team needed, but inside she was struggling with so many emotions. She had never had a proper moment to grieve the loss of Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. She had not had time to grieve Aerith, even. After every death, they had to press on – something important would come up.

When the Sector 7 plate fell, they had waited a bit before rescuing Aerith at Shinra HQ, but even then, they dove right in to helping people in the surrounding slums instead of focusing on their own grief. Tifa had been struggling with the guilt she felt for her role in the sector's destruction. Shinra had targeted the sector because that was where her bar was, which served as the headquarters for AVALANCHE. And Aerith wouldn't have been taken if Tifa had not asked her to rescue Marlene. Of course, Marlene would not be safe in Kalm if Tifa hadn't sent Aerith to get the little girl. No matter what she did, she would have felt guilty.

Tifa hadn't even learned of Wedge's death in the Shinra tower until long after they left Midgar. He died alone while they were all focused on rescuing Aerith. Tifa hoped he knew how much he had helped them.

After Aerith had died, the group had been immediately thrust into battle with Jenova. And after that, they had resolved to settle their score with Sephiroth, who was heading North.

What would keep them from pausing this time? Tifa's concentration was broken by another statement from Cloud.

"But when I think about how many times I've thought about starting a new life, it's funny," he said.

"Why?" Tifa asked in response.

"I've always failed to do it," he said.

"That's not funny."

Tifa had to admit that he was right. He had tried to join SOLDIER to start a new life – to impress her. He tried to start a new life in Midgar after the torture he and Zack went through in Nibelheim, and they all knew how that turned out.

"After this… I think I'll be okay," Cloud said after a momentary pause. He let the words slip from his lips and prepared for Tifa to ask the obvious question. When she didn't, he gave her the answer anyway: "Because you're with me."

Tifa felt her heart flutter in her chest at his words, and she smiled again. While many thoughts raced through her head, she realized that she would not be able to express them. She choked, just as she had the night they were under the Highwind. They had been together physically yet hadn't said the words she had longed to say. Maybe those words would come soon.

She knew what he was saying, or at least, she thought she did, but she couldn't help being a tad bit hurt by the idea that all this time he hadn't noticed her by his side.

"But I've always been with you," was all she could say in response.

"That's how it will be starting tomorrow," Cloud told her, a smile returning to his lips.

They continued to look at each other in the darkness, illuminated only by what remained of the Lifestream cradling the planet. Cloud gazed into Tifa's wide, hopeful eyes, reflected in which was the green tendrils of their saving grace. He felt her face getting closer to his own and realized he was slowly leaning toward her. In that moment he forgot his other comrades were around him; all he saw was Tifa and all the hope that she encompassed. His greatest ally and his best friend, the woman he had loved since he was a kid.

He was beginning to close his eyes to kiss her when the Highwind rocked violently. Cloud instinctively reached out to grab Tifa to protect her, gripping the railing with one hand and holding her close with his other arm. Just as the ship steadied again, he let her go involuntarily, clutching his head as images flashed in his head, just as they had done before they defeated Sephiroth and Jenova.

He saw Tifa, sprawled out and bleeding on the platform where Aerith was killed.

The vision quickly vanished but his eyes remained wide and fearful when the headache stopped. He thought he was through with those after Tifa helped him find himself in the Lifestream and they defeated Sephiroth and Jenova.

"Cloud?" Tifa asked, one hand on his back and one on his arm for comfort. He could see the look in her eye – the look of fear and recognition. He didn't want her to worry, so he lied.

"Don't worry, it's not that," he said. Her expression didn't change. "I think I hit my head when the ship lurched."

Tifa seemed to accept that explanation. At least, she didn't question him about it further. He hoped that maybe it was just the result of Sephiroth and Jenova still dying in the Northern Crater. A one-time experience. Nothing to be concerned about. They were all exhausted after their journey; he probably just needed a good long rest.

* * *

"Reno, leave it!" Rude yelled at his partner as debris fell around them and the building shook.

"But, it's my favorite!" Reno mock whined.

"Forget it, we have to get everyone out of here!" Rude said more forcefully, grabbing the redhead by his collar and dragging him out of luxury apartments housed within the Shinra building where the Turks and other high-level employees lived if they chose.

Reno didn't put up a fight, having already realized that he could buy a new gun – a lot of new guns, actually – but he couldn't buy a new ass.

They had already helped evacuate the Shinra building when the Weapon attacked and Rufus went missing, but when Meteor started its devastation, many people in Sector 0 and nearby rushed into the building seeking shelter from the cyclones. The structure, however, was no longer sound, no longer the safest place in Midgar.

Reno and Rude had returned to their respective apartments to try and gather some of their things when Meteor struck. They had been helping rescue crews for some time prior to that, and were just getting freed up enough to see if they could salvage anything from their homes. They each had a duffle bag slung over their shoulders, having immediately grabbed their getaway bags upon first return to their apartments. Every good Turk had such a bag, stuffed with gil, fake I.D. cards, and various other items they would need to change their appearance and disappear in a moment's notice. The two nodded to each other when they exited and saw what the other was carrying. Great minds and all that.

But Reno had decided that he wanted to save his weapon collection as well and had run back into his home. He was gathering his guns (his mag rod was, as always, attached to his belt) when the building began to shake violently. It had seemed settled in its destruction after Diamond Weapon, so this was a new development. Rude passed Reno in his bedroom to look out the window. It was no longer dark outside. Instead, it was bright orange outside, the other buildings lit up as if surrounded by fire. It was bright enough to be day outside – which it was, but with the sun being blocked by Meteor, the whole city had plunged into never-ending nightfall.

"My Gods," Rude said as he looked out the window. In the distance, in every angle he could see, Midgar seemed to be enveloped in swirling orange light. From his vantage point, he could see several pillars of orange wind traveling through the city, pulling up houses, cars, and everything else in their path.

Reno stopped stuffing guns and ammo into another bag to figure out what had caused Rude's reaction. His thin, catlike eyes widened beyond what he thought was possible and his pupils dilated.

"Holy sh—" he started saying before Rude turned around to rush out of the room.

Forget the guns. Well, except for one. He ran to his closet and reached onto the high shelf, searching for a box. He heard Rude tell him to leave it behind and groaned. Of course Rude knew what he was looking for. He was already hightailing it out of the apartment when Rude followed up his comment.

The two Turks looked both ways down the hall outside their homes once Reno exited.

"You don't think anyone else came back, do you?" Reno asked.

"Not up here, I don't think," Rude said, pushing his sunglasses a little toward the bridge of his nose. "But there were people downstairs in the lobby."

"We just had to turn this place into a refugee camp," Reno muttered as he and his partner ran back toward the stairwell.

They descended the stairs as quickly as they could, though they were regularly thrown into the walls or nearly over the railing by the building shifting.

"Shit!" Reno yelped during one such incident as he was thrown into the railing, the bar colliding harshly with his gut. The force caused his arms to react, and his getaway bag fell off his shoulder and down the stairwell. "Fuck!"

He moved faster after that, with Rude keeping pace. He grabbed the duffle bag when they reached it and again threw it over his shoulder, this time with the strap diagonal across his chest like Rude had done. This was his life's work, his one-way ticket out, and though he never dreamed of leaving the Turks, he needed that security.

The two men burst through the stairwell doors and entered the upper level of the lobby, running over to the guard rails to look down below. Cots and sleeping bags had been strewn throughout the lobby and the car showroom downstairs to provide comfort for those who had lost their homes when the Sister Ray collapsed. Reno looked out at the sea of people and slammed his fist against the railing.

"Shit!" he yelled, though there was too much commotion for any of the refugees to hear him.

Before he and Rude could reach the stairs, they heard glass breaking behind them. They were more surprised that any glass was still standing that could be broken than they were to see the Director of Urban Development, Reeve Tuesti, lowering his leg from a kicking position and then walking toward them purposefully. He didn't notice them at first, however, as he had an odd contraption on his head. It looked like a headset with an attached microphone and one glass circle covering his left eye. He seemed to be talking to whomever was on the other end. He was also holding a complicated remote control that he was clearly familiar with, as he operated the numerous buttons and joysticks without looking at it.

Reno and Rude looked at each other a little confused, as they had never seen Reeve actually control the robot cat and moogle they knew he used to spy on AVALANCHE. It was an odd sight to see such a well-dressed man half paying attention to where he was walking and half paying attention to what seemed like a portable video game.

Reeve stopped in front of the men and clicked a button on the remote, apparently switching off Cait Sith's microphone so he could talk to the Turks. Reno and Rude didn't even think he had noticed them when he stopped, as he didn't appear to register their presence until they saw him make deliberate eye contact.

"Good, you're still alive," Reeve said to them in a tone that made them wonder if he was being sarcastic. Reeve had made no secret of his disdain for the Turks in the past, so they wouldn't have been surprised if he was disappointed to learn of their survival. He should have expected it though. There were no dead Turks, though, Reeve may not have known that as most of Reno's former underlings went into hiding, presumed dead or retired, shortly before Sephiroth returned.

"Sir?" Rude asked.

"I want you to get these people and anyone else you can down to the slums," Reeve responded. "I think that will be the safest place right now."

Reno and Rude again looked at each other to consider not only his request but the fact that he was asking them at all. He wasn't their boss, but with Rufus missing and all the other executives dead, it seemed Reeve was in charge.

"We were going to get them out of here anyway, but are the slums really safer?" Rude asked.

"Certainly safer than up here at the moment," Reeve shot back. "We need to get everyone off the upper plate."

"Gonna take more than the two of us," Reno retorted, waving his hand dismissively with the other on his hip.

"I'm aware," Reeve said, his eyes narrowing on the redhead. "After Weapon's attack I took it upon myself to request help from the only people left on the planet who lived for danger and were trained for this sort of thing."

"Sir?"

"Your former colleagues," Reeve continued. "They should already be here assisting. I also put out a distress call to AVALANCHE for more help. Now hurry, get these people to safety!"

So, apparently he did not about the Turks in hiding.

The Turks again glanced at each other in confusion before trotting down the massive staircase to the people scattered below. The walls shook as they did so, causing some signs and information terminals to tumble. They had to plant themselves to keep from falling and when they reached the bottom of the staircase, they were ignored by people too scared to leave.

"Please, we have to get out of here, the building's not stable!" Reno pleaded. He was met with glares from the refugees, who clearly still distrusted the Turks and recognized their dark blue suits. "Dammit!" he protested, looking around to see Rude was having similar luck.

The redhead looked around a moment for something he could use to get everyone's attention. At this moment, people were so afraid of what was outside that they didn't fear the suited men inside the building. On any other day, the Turks could have just intimidated people into following their orders, but apparently the refugees had found something worse. He spied a janitor's closet beyond the reception desk and darted toward it as Rude continued to try to persuade people.

Reno returned with a couple cans of spray paint and made his way through the crowd toward a Shinra Hauler SA-37 that had been pushed against the back wall. He climbed up on the hood and walked up to its roof, his boots causing loud, metallic echoes to ring throughout the vehicle showroom. It caught the attention of some of the refugees, who turned to look at the tall, thin man with the paint cans. He began to spray paint a message on the wall in bright orange: "HEAD 4 SLUMS."

Some of the refugees stared at him, confused, when Reno turned back to look at them, hoping he had their attention enough to make an announcement. Before he could say anything, however, another violent shake of the building caused one of the large overhead chandeliers to break. Reno was fast, but Rude was closer when the chandelier fell, leaping toward a woman and child who stood underneath it and shoving them to safely as they all fell to the ground just beyond where the chandelier landed with a crash. The woman thanked Rude before hugging her child close.

The crash of the chandelier quieted the room, giving Reno an opening.

"This building isn't safe, we have to get out of here!" he yelled. "We're going to the nearest train station. We can take the tracks around the main support beam to the slums from there."

The two Turks were able to usher the refugees out of the lobby, though they stopped in horror to gasp at the scene outside. Reno and Rude also took in what was happening. Experiencing it from within was much different than watching it through a window. The orange light had been replaced by white, from Holy, and reflected in their eyes as they stared up into it, two cyclones moving in their attentive orbs. Reno blinked and shook his head to come back to reality. These people needed help and the situation was not getting any better. Whatever this new white light was didn't seem to stop the destruction; just the opposite, in fact. The cyclones in the distance seemed to have picked up their pace, and pieces of buildings seemed to be getting sucked up into Holy.

He and Rude moved toward the front of the group and called for them to follow.

"The train station isn't too far," Reno shouted as he and his partner began walking away from the Shinra building.

The refugees huddled together but followed slowly, cautious of collapsing buildings and falling debris from Meteor. These had been their homes and businesses – and now they were rubble or on fire. The Turks, too, took stock of what was happening to the city they called home. This was their penance for the things they had done to the planet while working for Shinra. The company had taken so much from the planet – with the Turks' help – and it was time to atone. Reno and Rude quietly thought of what they had done to help Shinra and Midgar incur the Gods' wrath as they reached the abandoned train station and began following the tracks down into the slums, spiraling around the central pillar. The Sector 7 plate particularly weighed heavily on them, as always. Neither man had been particularly enthused about dropping it to begin with, but in the end, they followed orders and killed potentially thousands of people. How they were alive at all during this time still astounded them. If anyone deserved to die for their sins, the two Turks thought it was them.

Reeve hadn't given any other instructions other than to get people into the slums. It took quite a while to descend the train tracks to the ground and when they did, they came to a stop.

"Now what?" Reno asked his partner.

"If the plates fall, we'll all be crushed," Rude responded.

"Thanks for rosy picture, partner."

"I don't think we can get out of the city safely; it might be best to stay here for now."

Reno considered it for a moment, crossing his arms and shifting his weight to one hip. The plates were wobbling dangerously above, but if one were to break, it wasn't likely to hit the main support pillar. If they were in the middle of the sector on their way out of the city, however, they would be crushed. He sighed and agreed with Rude.

"I guess we're stuck for now, then. Hey, everybody!" he called. "Stay here, against the support pillar. Don't wander into the slums, the plates could collapse." He winced as he said it, remembering what it felt like to be the one making a plate fall. "We're going back up to find more survivors."

A few of the refugees insisted on returning plate-side with them to help others. Back on top, Reno and Rude were shocked to find that the sky was no longer orange or white. The swirling orange storm that surrounded Midgar was replaced with green – the Lifestream. Above them they could see the normal night sky, a hole in the cylinder of the Lifestream as the planet's lifeforce seemed to be disappearing.

"What the—" Reno said, really wishing he had a cigarette right about now.

The lights swirled in the frames of Rude's glasses as he stared up into the sky, trying to figure out what was happening now.

"AVALANCHE," he said simply.

By Gods, those do-gooders must have done something, must have stopped Sephiroth. It was the only explanation. Meteor had vanished in the time the Turks descended the tracks spiraling around the main pillar and returned. They couldn't have been gone more than an hour or two, due to helping the injured and weak among the refugees as they traveled.

When the small group returned to Shinra headquarters, they found Maur and Knife – two ex-Turks – outside helping first responders. Reno knew Knife wasn't her real name, but he honestly couldn't remember if she had ever told him what it was, so he would just have to call her by the name of her weapon, as he had done with all the former underlings. Reno tried to hide his excitement in seeing his old comrades for the first time in years.

"Maur. Knife," he said, nodding slightly to each of them. They returned the gesture.

"Glad to be back, Senpai," Maur said. Knife seemed annoyed, as usual. "The others are out searching the various sectors for survivors."

"Good," Rude said. "Is anyone helping the patients at the hospital?"

"Those new AVALANCHE do-gooders showed up. Reeve sent them there."

"You two stay here, we're going to go get Tseng ourselves," Reno instructed before waving to Rude to follow.

Maur nodded and returned to the first responders to give orders.

The two veteran Turks took off in the direction of the hospital where Tseng was recovering from his injuries at the Temple of the Ancients. After Sephiroth stabbed him, the Turk chief thought he was dead for sure, happy that he got to see Aerith one last time. But as one Cait Sith was solving the puzzle to create the black materia, a second Cait Sith was approaching to continue spying on AVALANCHE. That second Cait Sith dragged Tseng from the Temple and informed the Turks about his condition. Reno and Rude flew immediately by helicopter to find their boss, refusing to allow a distraught Elena to join them. Tseng had been recovering in the best hospital in Midgar ever since. He was about to be released when the calamity began.

Reno and Rude rushed inside the hospital lobby and looked for someone who could direct them to Tseng, if he was even still inside. Meteor may have been gone, but the damage done to Midgar still seemed to be taking its toll on the structures within. Doctors, nurses, and volunteers were all scrambling to move the sickest patients, pushing gurneys and assisting those who could barely walk. The little AVALANCHE ninja ran by while pushing someone in a wheelchair, nearly slicing Reno's leg in the process.

"Watch it, brat!" he hissed at her. She either didn't hear or ignored him.

The Turks struggled to run against the tide of escape, passing damaged walls in a building shaking just as badly as Shinra HQ. They bounded up a stairwell, dodging those trying to flee, and reached Tseng's room.

He was sitting on the edge of his bed looking fairly exhausted. He was wearing his dark blue suit pants, socks, and one shoe. His chest was still heavily bandaged, even though the wound was nearly healed. He was shirtless, apparently exhausted from dressing himself as much as he had. His long, raven hair hung limply about his shoulders, oily from lack of a shower.

"Chief!" his underlings said in unison when they saw him.

Reno grabbed Tseng's remaining clothes as Rude put the man's other shoe on and helped their boss to his feet.

"Time to go, boss," Rude said as he helped Tseng drape an arm around his shoulders.

"Please! You have to get out of he—" a feminine voice yelled from the doorway before realizing who was in the room.

Tifa Lockhart was gripping the sides of the doorframe with both hands, leaning slightly into the room. She looked stunned to see the three Turks looking back at her, most surprised that Tseng was alive. She thought she had seen him die in the Temple of the Ancients. She quickly closed her mouth and looked down the hallway as another voice called out to her.

"C'mon Tifa! This floor's clear!" Cloud Strife said as the Turks watched him run past the door, grabbing Tifa by the hand and pulling her with him. He didn't even turn to look through the doorway; didn't notice the Turks.

On their way out of the building, the Turks noticed a child crying by himself amongst the stampeding horde. The little boy was just standing still and screaming as people rushed past him, avoiding him without registering that he was even there. Reno wasn't exactly a fan of kids (people always suggested when children were around that he was just like them, which irked him), but since he was only carrying Tseng's clothes, he decided to pick up the child and take him with them.

Tseng and Rude looked at each other as the little boy wrapped his arms around Reno's neck so tightly the redhead nearly choked. They both smirked.

"One of yours?" Rude asked.

Reno stuck his tongue out at his partner and glared. "Shut up."

The group remained with other patients heading toward the train station, stopping to assist anyone who tripped or any gurneys that got stuck. Behind them, they could hear the boisterous growl of Barret Wallace, trying to reassure the people escaping that they would be okay and making sure the blame for this disaster was squarely on Shinra's shoulders.

Reno rolled his eyes and adjusted the child in his arms, who had finally settled down enough to stop wailing.

They returned to the end of the train tracks below in the slums. There were now hundreds more people crowded together than there were after they led the first group down here. There wasn't enough room for them all to stay close to the main support pillar, and the Turks noticed immediately the situation was getting out of hand.

"What now?" Reno asked as he looked across the sea of people before them.

Tseng lifted his head and tried to support himself rather than leaning so much of his weight on Rude. He, too, scanned the crowd for anyone he recognized. They were surrounded by strangers and a few members of AVALANCHE who also seemed at a loss for what to do.

"The city isn't safe anymore," Tseng said matter-of-factly.

They could see way off in the distance, beyond the outer wall of the city, the beginning rays of sun poking over a far-off horizon. Morning was coming, and the world still stood.


	2. A New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I need… forgiveness, but I don't know how to get it." - Cloud Strife

When morning came, Meteor, Holy, and the Lifestream were nowhere to be seen, as if the events of the previous night had never happened. Anyone not living in Midgar or Kalm might not have even known anything had happened.

The refugees who had taken shelter in the slums around the main support pillar were still alive. Some had even managed to sleep a few hours once the Lifestream retreated. The little boy Reno found near the hospital, who was no more than 4 or 5 years old, refused to let him go, so the Turk was sitting on the ground cross-legged as the boy slept in his lap. Rude and Tseng continued to give him teasing looks due to his new ward, and the redhead was getting _pretty_ tired of his image being tarnished. Elena had found them during the night and joined the men in commenting on Reno's alleged parenting skills.

When there was enough light to see, Reno began looking around for someone who could take the child. He spotted an elderly woman standing alone nearby who seemed capable enough. She had light gray, almost white hair that was pulled back tightly but then puffed out instead of forming a ponytail. She wore black leggings and a gray robe over a black dress. She looked like the kind of woman who would help out a small child, so Reno took the boy over to her.

"Is he yours?" Marle asked.

"No, I found him near the hospital," Reno replied, sensitive that people assumed it was his kid. "I need to work though…"

"I'll take him," Marle said, extending her arms as Reno pried the boy from his neck. "Come here, baby."

The boy, still sleeping, finally released Reno's neck and put up little fight when he was handed to Marle, instantly wrapping his arms around her neck and snuggling.

"Thanks," Reno said, glad to be free.

Marle nodded and the Turk returned to Tseng and Rude.

"We should look for a way out of the city," he told his comrades.

Reno and Rude left Tseng with Elena in order to scout the surrounding area and find a way out of Midgar. They were in Sector 5, meaning there was a gate leading to the desert badlands surrounding the city if they could just make it across the slums. Luckily for them, most of the Sector 5 plate had never been rebuilt, so they only needed to move people beyond what remained above before they could breathe easy.

They sent ex-Turks Ruluf and Alvis in another direction to see if they could find a better path. Alvis, naturally, complained but eventually took off, vowing to be the one who found the path if he were being forced into search duty. As Reno and Rude walked down one of the streets, climbing over rubble and avoiding still smoldering fires, they could hear the AVALANCHE ninja brat and the ex-Shinra pilot swearing a block away. At some point, Reno caught a glimpse down a side street and noticed a tail with a fiery tip disappear among the buildings along with the ends of a tattered red cape.

"Guess we're not the only ones looking for the exit," he muttered.

The vampire, as Vincent Valentine was called by some at Shinra, and the lion-dog thing weren't the _worst_ members of AVALANCHE to the Turks, but knowing any member was nearby set them on edge. At least Reno hadn't run into any of the female ex-Turks he had slept with when they were still with the company. Small miracles. Rude thought the experience would have made Reno keep his dick in his pants, at least when it came to Shinra employees, but no.

The two veteran Turks were finally able to reach the far end of Sector 5 to find Cloud and Tifa standing in front of the large metal gate. Reno scoffed that AVALANCHE had beaten them to the gate, but he had to admit he did not mind the view of Lockhart's backside. He scanned her bare legs up to her shapely ass, which was barely covered by a black leather miniskirt. It was a view he rarely got to see, since she was usually facing him to fight. His eyes lingered on her a moment too long – he was a little tightly wound from the stress of everything and not getting laid since before Diamond Weapon's attack – until he noticed Vincent and Nanaki appear further to his right, having just found a way through the destruction themselves.

The six warriors were quiet for a moment, and could hear muffled voices on the other side of the gate, though they couldn't understand what was being said. Cloud put his ear up to the gate to try and listen, but it didn't help.

"Well, this looks promising," Reno said a little sarcastically, causing Cloud and Tifa to whirl around in battle stance. Strife had his sword already drawn by the time he faced them. Reno and Rude raised their palms defensively. "Whoa, whoa, we're not here to fight, just lookin' for the exit."

Tifa lowered her fists and Cloud relaxed, returning his sword to its place on his back.

"Can we still open it?" Nanaki asked, padding up to the pair and sitting on his haunches.

"We still have the key," Cloud informed him. "Not sure it'll work with the power being out."

Reno folded his arms across his chest and huffed. Of course AVALANCHE had a key to the city. He didn't know how they got it, but he was instantly struck. Whatever AVALANCHE did, they were praised, at least by a lot of people, even though they killed people just like the Turks. Reno definitely liked the fear he instilled in people and the power he possessed, he just didn't like that AVALANCHE was seen so positively after everything they had done.

The Turks watched as Cloud inserted an old-looking keycard into a slot next to the massive gate. They heard a loud clicking sound from the gate as sparks flew out of the slot for a few moments before disappearing. The gate didn't move. Cloud walked over to where the two massive doors met, placed a hand on either one, and began to pull them apart. His muscles tensed and quaked as he used all his inhuman strength to move the doors apart slightly.

Tifa, the dutiful AVALANCHE lieutenant, approached him to help. Together they moved the doors apart another foot.

"Maybe if we all try?" Cloud asked.

Vincent and Nanaki walked over. Reno and Rude sighed, begrudgingly agreeing to assist AVALANCHE in this mundane task. The Turks took one door while Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent took the other. Nanaki backed up to the door the Turks were pushing and propped his back legs on it in a handstand (pawstand?) position, pushing off the ground with all his might and walking backwards as the door moved.

"Hey, watch where ya swing that thing, will ya?" Reno scolded as he dodged Nanaki's flaming tail.

Between the six of them they were able to shove the doors apart almost entirely, though it took an embarrassing amount of physical effort. Shinra definitely wanted to make sure no one got out of Midgar without proper clearance.

When the doors refused to budge anymore, the group finally noticed that on the other side of the wall was a large-scale disaster-relief area. Men and women in Shinra military uniforms with Junon branch patches on their sleeves were setting up medical equipment and tents for refugees, as well as establishing makeshift kitchens and portable bathrooms.

There appeared to be hundreds working on the project. Reeve must have been on the phone all night with world leaders trying to get aid to Midgar. Reeve may not have been the most imposing of the Shinra executives, but it was clear now what he could accomplish when left to his own devices.

Cloud wiped the sweat from his brow and looked back toward the main support pillar where the refugees remained. "Looks like there's just three paths to get out here," he mused. "Let's try to make them as easy as possible for people to cross as we make our way back."

Reno clicked his tongue and offered a sarcastic salute to the AVALANCHE leader before he and Rude returned down the road they had traveled before. They were already out of earshot when Cloud clutched his head in pain, as he had done the night before on the Highwind. He and Tifa had stayed behind to make sure the Turks didn't try to pull anything. Now she again rushed to Cloud's side. If last night was a fluke caused by Sephiroth and Jenova still dying, what was this, then?

Cloud again assured her it was nothing and that it was probably just a normal headache that he wasn't used to, given his history. Tifa was more skeptical this time, but again didn't push the subject.

The first major obstacle the Turks approached on their way back to the main pillar required moving heavy sections of a stone building that had broken apart during the calamity. The two men stood on either side of one of the sections and lifted with a grunt.

"So, you still like that AVALANCHE chick?" Reno asked his partner as they carried the debris to the side of the road.

"…yeah," Rude offered, looking a little sullen. Reno groaned.

The redhead thought his partner would have gotten over her by now, what with her constantly trying to kill them – while they were trying to kill her, of course. Still, he wished Rude could move past his little crush. It was never going to happen.

They returned to the pillar with relative ease; only a few sections of the path they traversed needed to be cleared or made safe for the refugees. When they arrived, they saw Reeve standing on a makeshift platform addressing the crowd.

"… and it looks like the search teams have returned," he said, turning to the Turks and AVALANCHE members. "Were you able to clear a path to the gate?" Cloud nodded and Reeve turned his attention back to the crowd. "Alright, we need to get out of the city, follow those men out of Midgar, where Junon has set up a disaster-relief zone."

Reno whistled and Rude held up his fist to get people to follow them toward the badlands. The refugees followed much easier this time than the night before, to the Turks' delight. They helped Tseng stagger over obstacles until they returned to the area just beyond Midgar once again.

The Junon crews appeared to know what they were doing once the refugees reached them, guiding them to where they needed to go depending on injuries and physical status. The Turks helped Tseng over to the medical tent to get checked out. He wasn't injured, but they wanted to be sure their chief hadn't agitated his wound during the night's activities. When Tseng was cleared, the four Turks found an unoccupied dome relief tent with four beds and claimed it – at least for the moment. Reno and Rude set down their getaway bags while Elena sat with Tseng on one of the beds. The director was exhausted, but clearly annoyed that he wasn't able to help as much as he would like.

The members of AVALANCHE decided that they would each return to their homes and loved ones once the refugees found their way out of Midgar but agreed to meet in one week at the lake in the Forgotten Capital where Aerith rested. They briefly considered going to see Aerith first, but Barret's desperation to see Marlene again made them reconsider. They left Cait Sith with Reeve as the – former? – Shinra executive continued to organize the relief efforts. After his speech at the support pillar, he hadn't been off the phone for more than a few seconds, calling various other towns to try and shore up support for the Midgar refugees.

Cid dropped everyone off as he made his way back to Rocket Town with the Highwind. He jested that the town should be renamed Airship Town since the rocket was gone.

"Even better," he said, slapping himself on the chest, "they should name it Highwind Town."

He looked at each of the others, eagerly hoping they would agree. They all just stared at him blankly.

Yuffie absconded with much of the group's materia shortly after they landed in Kalm to drop off Barret. The man with the gun arm planned to stay with Elmyra and Marlene for a while before heading off to North Corel to help rebuild the town.

They weren't that concerned about losing their materia. The planet was saved, right? How much did they really need it anymore? Cloud grabbed a few of his favorite orbs while Tifa held on tightly to Aerith's mastered Restore materia.

No one was quite sure when Vincent left the group, as he didn't say a word to anyone. Tifa thought it was while they were saying goodbye to Barret in Kalm. Cid suggested the raven-haired enigma had simply jumped over the side of the airship mid-air. He wasn't suggesting Vincent jumped to his death, but that they knew so little about the ex-Turk that he may have turned into a bat and flown away. Nanaki reminded him that Vincent could have turned into Chaos Beast and wafted into the distance.

Nanaki was taken home to Cosmo Canyon, explaining that he still had much to learn about the world but would do so while taking his rightful place as protector of the canyon, just like his parents had done before him.

When it was down to just Cid, Cloud, and Tifa, the pilot had to ask an uncomfortable question.

"Where to?"

Cloud looked at Tifa, hoping she would have an answer. She did not. Neither of them had a home or loved ones to return to; they only had each other. Gazing into her warm wine-colored eyes, he asked the question he never thought he'd ask her.

"Do you," he hesitated, "think it's time we faced our demons in Nibelheim?"

Tifa blinked, the color vanishing from her cheeks, though her facial expression did not change.

"I… don't know," she said before looking at her feet.

Cloud stepped toward her and placed a hand on each of her shoulders. She raised her head to meet his eyes.

"As long as you're with me, I think I can handle anything," he said.

Tifa closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She opened them again as a nervous smile spread across her lips.

"Yeah, let's go to Nibelheim," she said.

Cid set the airship down and allowed them to disembark. It was just a short trip for him back to Rocket Town now, and though he'd never admit it out loud, he was anxious to see Shera again.

When the roar of the airship was out of earshot, Cloud again looked at Tifa. They were standing just outside the replica town sign.

"What should we do?" he asked.

"Well, I know how to run a bar," she replied. Cloud grinned.

"And I know how to drink," he said, matching her cadence.

Tifa's eyelids dropped as she frowned at him. She didn't say a word, just kept her face solid until he tried again.

"And I know how to carry things…" Cloud added.

Tifa's expression didn't soften.

"… and I can help get supplies."

Finally, Tifa smiled.

"Sounds good," she said, tilting her head.

Cloud's mood lifted and he took her hand in his as the two walked into town.

By the time everyone met at Aerith's lake, Cloud and Tifa realized Nibelheim was not the place for them to settle down. There was a limited amount of property for sale, none of which was large enough to open a bar. On top of that, though the pair no longer felt anxious walking through the rebuilt city, they realized it was too weird to be surrounded by actors hired by Shinra to play townspeople. Of course, by now they were actually townspeople, but the whole feel of the town was different – more like Midgar.

And that's where they felt they would fit in best. Surely Reeve would need more help after the calamity, and the pair felt they needed to continue assisting their former neighbors. They may have just saved the planet, but individual people still needed help.

They all gathered around the lake in the Forgotten Capital a week after Meteor nearly destroyed the planet. Barret brought Marlene and Elmyra with him so they could join in the somber affair. Even Vincent showed up, though he stood away from the group and leaned against a nearby tree with his head hung low.

Cloud took Tifa's hand as they both stepped to the edge of the water. The others joined them and made a semi-circle around the lake. They each took a moment to say something – to thank Aerith for saving the planet and for her sacrifice. When Yuffie tried to speak she burst into tears and stepped back. Barret thanked Aerith for saving Marlene. Cid said she was "one helluva lady."

When it was Elmyra's turn to speak, she squeezed Marlene's hand and took a deep breath.

"I always knew Aerith was special; that she was meant for something far greater than I could ever imagine," she began. "And I was right."

A soft smile escaped her lips as she continued.

"Aerith used to tell me how everyone returned to the planet, but I never really understood until now," Elmyra began to choke back tears. "I know Aerith has returned to the planet, and I know she's watching over all of us."

Tifa wiped tears from her eyes before she spoke.

"Aerith. I didn't know you for that long, but in that short amount of time you became my best friend," she said. "I know you were with us that night on the airship, and I know that you're with us every day – but that won't stop me from missing you."

The tears flowed freely from her eyes as she tried desperately to wipe them away. She tightened her grip on Cloud's hand as he stepped forward to speak.

"Aerith, I…" he began, searching for the right words, "I hope you have forgiven us – me. I know we'll see you again someday."

Cloud turned to wrap his arms around Tifa. Everyone remained quiet for a few minutes to say a silent prayer for their departed friend. Cid was the first to break the silence.

"Ok, everyone," he said, "we have a planet to rebuild."

The rest of AVALANCHE nodded their heads and began leaving the city to return to the airship. Vincent again vanished into thin air without telling anyone where he was going, and again they were unsure whether he boarded the Highwind or just left from the Forgotten Capital.

This time, Cid dropped off Cloud and Tifa to the east of Midgar, where Reeve said the new city was being built.

The city of Edge had already come quite far since the night of the calamity. Former residents of Midgar, including Shinra employees, worked together to build makeshift homes and shops and roads. Within a few weeks, people with specialized skills constructed a new sewer system and electricity system that was able to leach energy from one of the old reactors. That meant using Mako energy, but it was the only way to get people off the streets as quickly as possible.

People from all over the world came to help, in a show of unity never seen before. Yuffie led a team from Wutai. Construction crews from Gongaga and Fort Condor aided in the reconstruction. Scientists and mechanics from Rocket Town began working on a new power system that used coal and oil instead of mako. Even Icicle Inn sent gil and supplies.

Those who lived in the upper plate, though they had lost everything, were far better off than those in the slums once a few bank branches opened in Edge. Despite the collapse, their money was still safe. Those in the slums, who had no access to banks, lost what little money they had been able to save while fleeing the destruction. Soon, however, people from the slums had new jobs alongside former Shinra employees in a city beginning to take shape. Sure, there were class divisions among sections of the town, but everyone now lived under the same sun, with no physical barriers separating them.

In the center of the city, a monument to the Chosen Day was erected. It towered over the street that circled around it. Atop the structure, a metal meteor was placed. At the bottom, a plaque with the date that Meteor nearly destroyed the planet along with the date the monument was established.

Cloud and Tifa stayed in one of the dome relief tents while helping others build sturdy homes before finding a section of land to begin constructing a new bar, with help, of course. It was difficult being alone in the tent, as their hormones kept drawing them to each other. The problem, however, was that the walls of the tent were thin, and there were dozens of other tents in close proximity. They couldn't control their urges, but they were definitely looking forward to having thicker walls so they wouldn't have to stifle their lovemaking.

The other problem, for Cloud at least, was that he couldn't hide his occasional headaches when Tifa was always nearby. They didn't happen often, maybe once a week or every other week, but the worried look on her face made him feel worse than the headaches. He thought these migraines, accompanied by flashes of horrifying visions of his past and possible future, would have stopped when they defeated Sephiroth and Jenova. He was also having occasional nightmares, which was nothing new, but he worried those combined with the continuing headaches meant his life wouldn't be as free as he thought it would be from now on.

Before they began construction on their own bar and home, one of the first buildings Cloud and Tifa helped erect was an orphanage for Marle. Apparently, after Reno left that young boy with her, she started noticing other children who were all alone. She began gathering every scared, lonely child she could in the hopes that if she got them all together, word would spread and parents looking for their missing children could come find them.

Some of the kids did find their families, but others were not so lucky. The people working to rebuild Edge made sure the orphanage had everything the children needed. Some of the children from the old Leaf House found their way to Marle's establishment, though they were sad to report their teachers didn't make it.

Cloud and Tifa provided Marle several million gil once the orphanage opened and promised to provide more if and when she needed it.

"Still the granddaughter I never had," Marle said with her hand over her heart as the barmaid hugged her goodbye after construction was complete. "I am _so_ glad he ended up being good enough for you," she added, eyeing Cloud. "You know what I'm going to say though: Don't you hurt her."

"I won't," Cloud said with a smile, wrapping an arm around Tifa's shoulders and pulling her close.

Tifa never dreamed of a big house or yard; she only wanted a place she could call her own. Within months of her arrival in Edge, news had spread about what she and her companions had done for the planet. She wasn't sure how people found out, but she vowed to use her newfound celebrity status for a good cause. They continued to help build Edge, but they found themselves constantly approached for pictures and autographs as people would ask "are you the guys that saved the planet?"

It bothered Cloud more, since he never wanted the fame and still didn't know how to act around people he didn't know.

Barret came to Edge after leaving Kalm to help Cloud and Tifa build the new city and a new bar before eventually continuing on to North Corel to assist the people there. The three of them were part of a group of volunteers who would venture back into Midgar to find building supplies, such as scrap metal and lumber. Occasionally, they would see the Turks entering or leaving the city with Shinra-branded equipment, including forklifts carrying palettes of unknown supplies and backhoes.

The bottom floor of the structure Tifa and Cloud helped build for themselves was large enough for a bar and a dozen tables. Behind the bar was a storage room, a public restroom, and a staircase leading to a small two-bedroom apartment with a living room, kitchen, and two-and-a-half bathrooms. She and Cloud shared a bedroom and left the other open for any of their friends who may want to visit.

The bar was finished first, allowing the couple to spend their days building – and fending off the odd monster that wandered into town – and their nights helping the residents of Edge unwind with alcohol.

Soon after the bar had opened, Tifa began seeing people she recognized – mainly, members of the Turks. At least two or three times a week, Reno and Rude would try to stop in for a drink.

"We don't serve contract killers," Cloud told them as he crossed his arms and leaned against the front doorway the first time they tried to enter.

"Aw, come on, man," Reno pleaded. "Shinra's dead, we're just helping rebuild, like you."

Rude remained silent but Reno knew he was glaring at Cloud behind those dark sunglasses. Tifa soon joined the blond, her face no more accepting. Rude hated to see her frown.

"After all the shit you assholes pulled?" Tifa asked from just behind Cloud's shoulder in the doorway.

"Hey, we didn't _want_ to drop the plate, but you people just wouldn't quit," Reno explained. Tifa visibly tensed, but Cloud remained the same. "Besides, all that's in the past."

"You tried to kill us!" Tifa shouted, remembering her first formal introduction to the two Turks now standing outside her bar.

She had _just_ seen one of her friends, Biggs, lying dead against the Sector 7 pillar after trying to stop Shinra from crushing thousands of people. She was climbing the stairs to join Cloud after asking Aerith to find Marlene. She was rounding a flight of stairs when the Turks' helicopter began firing at her. Bullets whizzed by her head and chest, close enough for her to feel their wind, before the helicopter suddenly jerked and took out the staircase beneath her.

Rude cleared his throat, also remembering how he kept Reno from killing Tifa that day. The bald Turk hated that while _he_ saved Tifa's life, Cloud was the one to reach out to grab her hand and pull her to him on the platform above. Rude had seen the way Cloud held Tifa against him after her near-death experience, and it bothered him.

That episode had been the first time Rude had seen Tifa in months. He first laid eyes on the busty brunette two years earlier when he wandered into Sector 7. It had been awhile since he and Chelsea broke up and the old Midgar AVALANCHE fell. Reno was off chasing some girl at another bar, so Rude went to check out the sector to see if there were any new rumblings from a newly formed AVALANCHE. He was nearing the Seventh Heaven bar when a beautiful young woman, who couldn't have been older than 18 at the time, came rushing toward him on her way inside.

She bumped into Rude, surprisingly hard. Most people who made the mistake of bumping into him ended up injured due to his size and inability to be easily knocked over. But she didn't look hurt at all and when she told him "sorry" in a genuine tone, he knew she was not originally from Midgar. He was smitten immediately, and would sneak away sometimes while Reno was pursuing a woman to catch a glimpse of the young barmaid.

"You tried to kill _us_!" Reno retorted.

"Out!" Cloud commanded, pointing in the direction behind the two Turks and slamming the door in their faces.

Tifa and Cloud tried to keep the Turks out for as long as they could, even though the suckers kept trying. Business, however, was slow-going in the beginning. The bar itself became famous quickly because of its owners, but people didn't have a lot of money to spend – even on alcohol – while Edge was getting off the ground. The AVALANCHE leaders soon realized they couldn't afford to turn away any customers, especially not two who drank as much as the Turks.

Sure, they had millions of gil left over from their adventures even after giving some to Marle and building and furnished the new Seventh Heaven as well as their upstairs home, but they put what money remained away in case others needed it and for them to maybe, one day, be at a place where they didn't feel like they needed to fill every second of their day with some kind of work.

Once the Turks were finally allowed into the bar, Rude would usually sit at the counter and stare silently into his drink for hours. Occasionally he would say something to Tifa, but it was never more than a few words at a time. Reno would sit next to him, with his back to the bar and his elbows resting on the polished rosewood. He'd spend his nights scoping for women, and on many occasions left the bar accompanied by one. Every once in a while, Elena would join them. She would try to get Rude to talk, but failed often, and more likely ended up arguing with Reno over something political. Tifa tried her best to avoid getting sucked into any of their conversations. Even months after Meteor, and even though they were helping to rebuild while _not_ trying to kill her, she still had some pent-up rage about the destruction of Sector 7.

When the apartment upstairs was finished, Cloud swept Tifa up in his arms bridal style and carried her up the stairs and over the threshold as she laughed. He didn't set her down at the door, however, instead taking her straight into their bedroom and tossing her onto their bed without objection.

Tifa propped herself up on her elbows and motioned with Cloud to come closer by bending her index finger. Cloud happily obliged, placing a hand on either side of her hips and leaning toward her until their lips met. He kissed her hungrily, pushing her head back into the pillow as he climbed on top of her. They were both so tired of having to be quiet that they skipped the foreplay, ripping each other's clothes off as they kissed fiercely.

Cloud entered her as soon as he had removed his boxer briefs, her body ready and willing for his cock. The usual slow and tenderness of their sexual encounters was replaced by wild thrusts and hurried kisses. Cloud thrust into Tifa hard enough to force her back against the headboard before he'd grab her hips and pull her back down. Tifa wrapped her arms around his waist to try and stay in place, bucking her hips against Cloud's to deepen the penetration. Cloud was naturally quieter than Tifa during these moments, even when given the ability to let loose, but he moaned with wanton abandon.

"Oh, fuck, Teef!" he said as he pushed deep inside her, scrunching his eyes closed as she tightened around his cock.

He opened his eyes again to watch her breasts bouncing beneath him. He may have wanted her so badly that he skipped the foreplay, but his mouth now found her nipple eagerly. Tifa moaned loudly as he pounded her, placing her palms on the headboard behind her to push herself into him when he thrust.

Cloud sat back up to watch the gorgeous woman writhing beneath him. He still couldn't believe she had stayed with him after Meteor was destroyed. He never in a million years thought he would be this lucky; to end up with the girl next door, the girl he had a crush on since he was a teenager.

Tifa, likewise, had been thinking since Nibelheim that Cloud would get sick of her when it was just the two of them, even though he had always seemed to act more like himself when he was around her than anyone else in AVALANCHE – Aerith included. Still, Tifa worried that Cloud had, in fact, loved the Ancient and was only choosing her because she happened to still be alive.

In this moment, however, her thoughts were elsewhere as she and Cloud came together with the much-needed release that had been building up since they first moved to Edge nearly six months ago. Tifa saw stars as her fluids mixed with Cloud's, for once being together in the comfort of a home they could call their own.

It seemed that just as Cloud finished releasing into her, one of his headaches struck. It was the second one this week. Tifa slid off his cock and put a hand on his shoulder, which he tried to bat away. He had never liked bothering anyone whenever these flashes would occur, but he was especially sensitive to their effect on Tifa now that they were happening when they should have stopped.

For a while, Tifa thought she was living her dream. She tended bar, while Cloud brought in more supplies and helped keep the place clean. He also took odd jobs helping people in dangerous situations, which led to him getting paid with a free motorbike called Fenrir. The bike quickly became the second-most important thing in his life next to Tifa.

She and Cloud spent their nights in each other's arms, a happy couple.

But about six months after the bar opened – and nearly a year after the calamity – she noticed Cloud's flashbacks and nightmares were getting worse. At first, he was troubled by nightmares at night, which she didn't think was odd given his past. She, too, found herself having nightmares at least once a week. By now, however, Cloud was having 3 or 4 nightmares a week. As time wore on, he started having just as many headaches a week.

In the beginning, she accepted his explanations that they were different than what he had in the past, but she always knew better. The incidents appeared as they had when she first found him outside the train in Sector 7, when he was clinging to life.

His demeanor began to change as the flashbacks increased. Whereas before he flirted openly with her even around patrons, now he bristled when she touched him. She wasn't sure if it was the flashbacks or if he suffered from wanderlust, but she became depressed. She wondered if he was simply incapable of settling down in one place. She had enjoyed traveling the world with her friends, but she always dreamed of having a home and settling down.

She knew the nightmares and flashbacks sometimes involved the fire in Nibelheim and her near-death experience with Sephiroth, but most of Cloud's recent demons revolved around his inability to save Aerith, it seemed.

She felt like she did when they were traveling, when she was unsure of his feelings toward her. He had confessed his feelings under the Highwind before their final battle – and many times since – but now she worried those feelings were fading. She didn't know what to do.

She tried to go on as best she could. She tried holding him, asking him what was wrong. Sometimes he wouldn't answer, other times he would hug her but not say a word. She hoped that whatever he was going through, he would someday let her in, that he would stop spending all his time away from the bar or working on Fenrir in the garage.

But it was not to be. One evening, now a year-and-a half after Meteor, Cloud approached Tifa as she was closing up the bar.

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice low.

Tifa nervously agreed, though she could feel a pit forming in her stomach. The two sat down at a table and Cloud twiddled his thumbs, not looking at her.

"I think I need to go away for a while," he said.

Tifa's heart sank.

"Why? Where?" she asked. Cloud looked into her eyes, which were glistening with the promise of tears.

"I know I said I was going to live to overcome my sins, but it's getting harder and harder," he said. "I need… forgiveness, but I don't know how to get it."

"Is that why you mentioned it when we were at Aerith's lake?"

Cloud nodded his head.

"I think I need to ask her directly."

"So, do it. You can do that anywhere!" Tifa pleaded, not meaning to sound so harsh.

Cloud was taken aback but shook his head.

"I've tried. I don't think she can hear me – or she won't forgive me."

"Of course she will!" Tifa exclaimed. "I don't think she ever blamed you, she wouldn't!"

"I need to know for sure."

"How do you plan on finding out?"

"I want to go talk to her. Alone."

"Will you come back?"

At that question Cloud stiffened. Tears began to fall from Tifa's eyes and her heart started beating so fast she thought it would explode out of her chest. Cloud noticed her despair and took her hands in his, kissing her knuckles.

"Tifa, I love you," he said.

"Answer the question."

"If I find forgiveness, I'll come back."

His answer didn't satisfy her. It sounded like he may never come back. How could he find forgiveness from Aerith, who was dead and probably never blamed him to begin with? If he didn't find it while asking her here in the bar, how could he find it up north or anywhere else? It sounded to Tifa almost as if Cloud was breaking up with her but wanted to keep the option open – and she knew she would be there for him if and when he returned.

He had been pulling away for six months, and she was miserable, but she was willing to suffer if it meant being with Cloud. Even if he slept in the guest bedroom now, even if he didn't touch her anymore. He was here, and he was hers. She had decided that would be enough for her even if she knew in her heart it was wrong. They had one year of bliss before the headaches had become worse and he started pulling away.

During that previous year, she thought her life was perfect. Cloud was the boyfriend she always dreamed he would be. He was charming and caring, and funny and flirtatious when he was around her.

"So, you may never come back?" Tifa sobbed, pounding her fist on the table. Cloud again kissed her knuckles.

"I hope it won't come to that," he said weakly. His words didn't reassure her in the least.

Cloud stood up and walked to her side of the table and crouched beside her. He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could and kissed her on the top of her head. He pulled away after a moment and slowly headed for the door.

"I'm sorry," he said softly as he closed the door behind him.

Tifa slumped onto the table, finally having the massive cry she had been trying to suppress since Cloud started pulling away. She had cried many times over the past six months when she was alone in her room waiting and hoping for Cloud to join her, but this was different. She screamed into her folded arms about how this couldn't be happening. Cloud couldn't really be leaving her, could he? After everything they had been through, he was just going to abandon her for Aerith? Maybe he'd find forgiveness quickly and return to her?

She heard Fenrir's engine roar to life and quickly disappear. She lifted her head up and sniffled, her cheeks red and soaked with tears. She thought back over all the times they laughed together, all the times he told her he loved her, all the times he kissed her for no reason. She didn't want to believe that this was a breakup, even if her heart felt broken.

But he was gone, and she had no idea if he would ever come back.


	3. It Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm going to fix this." - Reno

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue taken from Final Fantasy VII: Remake.

Tonight was the night. After his first drink, he would order a second and try to strike up a conversation with the barmaid. But what would he talk about?

Okay, maybe after the second drink. But seriously, what should he talk about? The weather? Cliché. Her favorite music? Lame.

Maybe he needed three drinks.

Think, Rude, think.

All he ever did was think; it was the talking part he was not good at, especially when it came to _her_.

He had been going to her new bar for nearly a year but had said little more than a few words to her. Most of that was his drink orders. Occasionally he would clear his throat as if he were about to speak, but no words would come.

He knew it was ridiculous. He'd known Tifa Lockhart for years. Okay, not _known_ , as she had been his enemy and refused to speak with him, but known in the sense that they were aware of each other's existence for nearly two years. He should be able to find things to talk to her about, but starting a conversation with "hey remember that time we tried to kill you?" didn't seem like the best way to get on her good side.

He had thought bringing Reno along would calm his nerves, but he quickly found the redhead was still not adept at the whole "wingman" thing. Instead, Reno would find his own woman for the night, without so much as trying to break the ice for Rude.

* * *

_"Seriously man?" Rude asked after Reno had done this several times._

_"What?" the redhead replied nonchalantly, removing a cigarette from its pack and lighting it up after they were out of the bar. A busty woman with fried blonde hair stood next to Reno, hanging on his shoulder and nipping at his earlobe._

_"You can't take_ five minutes _to help me out in there?" Rude scowled._

_"What do you want me to do? You think she'll respond to me any better than you?"_

_"Baby, this is borrrring," the woman whined, dramatically stomping her foot like a child. "You said we were going back to your place—" she glared at Rude "—alone."_

_"Would you give me a minute, yo?" Reno barked at her. The woman quieted down but pouted._

_"No, but you're better at this kind of thing than me…" Rude continued._

_Reno blew air through his lips and ran his free hand through his hair, taking care to avoid his goggles. "Alright, fine. Tomorrow," he said, pointing a finger at Rude. "I'll help you out but you're gonna owe me and I'm telling you, it's not gonna help."_

* * *

Rude and Reno had been going to the new Seventh Heaven as soon as it opened. Well, not _as soon_ , since Tifa and Cloud hadn't let them in at first. Reno had sworn at them but Rude remained silent, as always. After a couple weeks, however, they were allowed in, begrudgingly. Neither Cloud nor Tifa would look at them, except to hand them their drinks. And the only words spoken to them were to ask what they wanted to drink. Once Tifa learned they would always order the same thing – her most expensive scotch – she stopped saying anything to them at all. She'd just put the drink on the bar in front of them and walk away. If Rude wasn't so hopelessly attracted to her, she wouldn't have deserved a tip.

Rude tried to psych himself up several times a week to no avail. It felt like every time he was ready to talk to her about something other than alcohol, Cloud would appear near her. At first, whenever Rude prepared to say something to Tifa, Cloud would seemingly materialize out of thin air and kiss her, or flirt with her. Rude resigned himself to admiring her from afar or waiting the relationship out.

He wasn't some lovesick puppy, he told himself, he just found Tifa so damn fascinating and different from other women. Other women clawed at the Turks like cats with a ball of yarn. Too many wanted a man with power, and while Reno might take advantage of that, Rude had always wanted something more. He wanted a woman who would challenge him, both physically and mentally.

He always thought he could have a debate with Tifa as long as it wasn't related to Shinra. He hadn't had too many interactions with her, but something about the way she carried herself let him know she would have lots to contribute to a conversation. He, on the other hand, lacked in that department.

Physically, though, he wanted a chance to spar with her one-on-one. Not even in a sexual way, though of course he wanted that, too. They never had a chance to fight alone and really test their skills as Reno and other AVALANCHE members were always there. On top of the pillar, Reno kept putting her in one of his pyramid spells and in Gongaga, the two Turks struggled against Cloud and the lion-dog thing. Not that Barret hadn't been a challenge up on the pillar, but that cat had already proven to them once how difficult he was to fight. Also, the three members of AVALANCHE were well rested when they fought the Turks in Gongaga, instead of just having fought their way through Shinra troops on the Sector 7 support pillar.

Lately, it looked like Rude's patience might pay off. Cloud no longer kissed Tifa or even touched her. The two seemed cold to each other, and about two months ago, Rude stopped seeing Cloud in the bar altogether. At first, he just figured Cloud was taking an odd job or two, but when the weeks stretched into months it seemed impossible that Cloud would be gone _that much_. Rude's suspicions were confirmed when he saw a tabloid article announcing Cloud and Tifa had a bitter breakup and she was heartbroken. He knew those papers were trash and probably got most of the details wrong, but Cloud _was_ definitely gone.

Tifa's demeanor had changed dramatically during that time as well. When Cloud first stopped flirting with her, she started to lose her spark, unless he was around. Then she'd seem to be _overly_ sweet and flirtatious with Cloud and sometimes other customers for tips. Never with the Turks, though, much to Rude's dismay.

But over the past two months, Tifa's spirits had completely cratered. She barely smiled and when she did it was clearly forced and weak. Her shoulders slumped and she grew pale and a little thinner. She was still beautiful, but it was clear to a Turk that she didn't see herself that way anymore.

It was also clear to the bald Turk that on more than one occasion she would cry in the back storage room. Sometimes he'd catch her returning to the bar with red, puffy eyes and a pink nose. She tried her best to hide it from the customers, and others either didn't seem to notice or didn't bother to ask. When someone _would_ ask – usually something like, "How can someone so beautiful look so sad?" – she'd offer a fake laugh and blame her allergies.

Rude didn't want to ask Tifa about Cloud's absence, as he was astute enough to realize that would be a sore subject. He considered asking Reno for discussion topics but felt his redheaded friend would make a vulgar suggestion that wouldn't be too helpful. Tonight, Rude was actually dreading what Reno might do to "help" him with Tifa. The redhead had no class in these matters, why had he asked for his help in the first place? He should have asked Elena or Tseng to come. Elena hated Tifa, but she liked Rude, so maybe she would have agreed to help. Tseng may have been just as quiet a man as Rude, but who knows, maybe he'd have an idea. Rude was embarrassed enough to ask _anyone_ for help and hated that his coworkers knew about his crush.

The bald man suddenly realized he was right outside Seventh Heaven and still didn't know how to start a conversation with Tifa or what Reno planned to do.

"Earth to Rude," Reno said, tapping his knuckles on his friend's bald head.

Rude realized Reno had been making several attempts to start a conversation, but he had missed all of them.

"Yeah," he said.

"You weren't even listening," Reno said, shaking his head and tossing his cigarette butt on the sidewalk.

The two entered the bar, which had become crowded as more homes were built in Edge and businesses returned to the area. People had gil to spare and steam to let off, and Tifa's bar was well known for good drinks and an attractive, famous bartender.

Rude sat at his usual stool. In the beginning, when there weren't many people in the bar, it wasn't difficult to sit in the same seat night after night. After a while, the Turks would enter and their seats would be taken. The other patrons quickly realized who they were dealing with, and the seats were either ignored or abandoned when they entered.

Reno sat beside him, his eyes wandering around the bar for talent. Tifa served them their regular drinks before they even ordered. As usual, she said nothing to them and spent as little time near them as possible. When she'd turn her attention to other patrons, Rude couldn't help but wish he could come up with a way to make her smile.

"How about her?" Reno asked, tapping Rude on the shoulder with the back of his hand.

Rude shifted in his seat and looked over his shoulder. He didn't see the woman to which Reno was referring but nodded his head and grunted.

"There's not even a woman over there," Reno said. "Geez, you're being thick tonight, even worse than usual."

Rude grunted again to show his dissatisfaction with Reno's tricks.

"Okay, this has gone on long enough," Reno groaned. "I'm going to fix this."

"How?" Rude asked.

Reno ignored him and raised his hand to get Tifa's attention.

"Barmaid, oh _barmaid_ ," he called to her, elongating the last word and leaning halfway over the bar and waving his arm frantically.

Tifa glared at him and sucked in her cheeks. She rolled her eyes and started to walk over.

"What?" she asked with a certain amount of venom in her tone. Reno was unscathed.

"That's no way to talk to your two best customers," he said with a grin. Tifa rolled her eyes again.

"What?" Tifa asked again, more forcefully this time.

"When ya gonna let that go, yo?"

"Let it go? Let it _go_?" Tifa snarled. " _You_ killed my friends in Sector 7. You _also_ tried to kill me and my friends multiple times."

"Yeah but that was _back then_ ," Reno said, his tone light and friendly. "We were just following orders."

Rude saw Tifa's eyes widen with rage and her nostrils flare. She looked as though she were trying to set Reno on fire just by staring at him. The redhead didn't notice as he sat back in his seat and casually inspected his fingernails.

"Just – just following _orders_?" Tifa looked as though she were about to explode. "Get out."

"Whoa, hey," Reno objected, bending his elbows and facing his palms toward Tifa in defense. "We're not like that anymore. We're security now."

His words did not seem to assuage Tifa's anger. While this was not how Rude imagined his discussion with her going, he felt the need to interject.

"We're sorry," he said, letting his shoulders drop and lowering his head.

Tifa couldn't tell due to his sunglasses but his eyes really did show sincerity. She had been about to throw the Turks out no matter what the damage, but she softened. Slightly.

Reno looked at his coworker in shock. Turks don't apologize, certainly not to eco-terrorists.

"Yeah, we're sorry," Reno said, without Rude's sincerity. "Sorry we dropped the plate on Sector 7 after you killed people by blowing up _two_ reactors."

He ended his statement with a grin and held up two fingers for emphasis. Rude looked at him a moment and then shook his head. Tonight was _not_ his night. He got up and began pushing Reno out the door before Tifa could leap over the bar to strangle him, which seemed like her next move.

Outside, Rude shoved Reno so hard the redhead fell on his backside.

"Hey man, what the hell?" Reno asked.

Rude started walking down the street away from the bar. Reno quickly got up and followed.

"You know I'm right," Reno said, defiantly. Rude sighed.

"That doesn't mean you had to say it," Rude replied. Reno was surprised by the amount of words in his friend's sentence. It was the most he had said all day.

Reno placed his hands behind his head and thought for a moment.

"Guess I ruined your chance tonight, huh?"

Rude said nothing.

* * *

A week later, Tifa was polishing the bar forcefully in order to keep from crying again. She had always found cleaning to be cathartic, and she had needed a release recently. She found herself polishing the bar over and over again each day, trying to keep her mind off of her loneliness.

More than two months had passed since Cloud left, and he hadn't so much as called. For the first few weeks, she was depressed but hopeful that he would come walking through that front door any second to apologize and say he had found forgiveness or whatever it was he was really looking for. But as the weeks dragged on, she lost hope. After a few weeks she gathered up the courage to call him, but it went straight to voicemail. Texts went unanswered, as did more phone calls.

After a month – and a lengthy conversation with Marle – she came to the conclusion that it _was_ a breakup.

* * *

_"Oh, honey, I hate to say this, but it's been a month…" Marle said with downcast eyes, placing her hand over Tifa's as the young brunette cried._

_The two met regularly to talk about life and the bar and the orphanage, and Tifa had been going to Marle a lot more after Cloud left. She couldn't count the number of times she had broken down in Marle's arms, feeling like a teenager who had just been dumped for the first time. Tifa knew what Marle was going to say next, but she didn't want to hear it._

_"Please. Don't say it," she sobbed from her place hunched over the kitchen table in Marle's home, her face buried in her arms once again. Marle squeezed her arm._

_"You're so young and beautiful," the older woman offered instead._

_This had essentially the same effect, as it caused Tifa to sob louder. If she were so beautiful, why did Cloud leave? What was wrong with her? These were questions she asked Marle again and again during their visits, and each time Marle would give the same answers: Cloud left because he always had issues, not because of anything she had done or not done, and nothing was wrong with her._

_"You could have any man you wanted," Marle said once without thinking._

_"There's only one man I want," Tifa said through tears._

_Marle hated to see her "adopted" granddaughter this upset. It reminded her of when Master Zangan first brought the girl to Marle's home in Sector 7. Tifa was 15, severely wounded, and traumatized. Zangan had taken her to a doctor to save her life and then to Marle, begging his old friend to care for his most talented young student. Marle, naturally, asked what had happened to the young girl, but Zangan told her he couldn't say because it could put Marle in danger._

_Marle took in the girl and nursed her back to health, worrying every day that her injury was too severe and that she would die in Marle's home. But Tifa survived. At first, she was terrified of the Sector 7 slums. Zangan had told her before taking her to Marle's that she couldn't tell anyone where she was from or what had happened to her. Sephiroth had burned Nibelheim but Shinra forced the papers not to report the incident. The company rebuilt the town and hired actors to pretend to be lifelong citizens, and Zangan worried that Shinra would come after anyone who knew the truth._

_Tifa was quiet and depressed for a long time after arriving in the slums. Marle eventually got through to her, however, and got Tifa training again. By the time she was 16, Tifa was part of the neighborhood watch and the sector's best fighter. Her wound healed except for a disfiguring gash she was able to hide under her tank top._

_Marle knew about heartache, and she knew that Tifa would get through Cloud just as she had gotten through the Nibelheim incident. Still, the older woman knew it would take a long time for Tifa to get past Cloud, as she had told Marle all about him when she was a teenager._

_"Cloud will come save me. He promised," teenage Tifa would say sometimes when she was upset or in trouble and Marle was around._

_By the time Cloud really_ did _show up, Marle was less than impressed with him. He was nearly as weak as Tifa had been when she first showed up in the slums. But Marle saw the way he looked at Tifa and thought that with some work, he might grow up into a nice man._

_She was wrong._

_"I know, baby," she said in response to Tifa saying she only wanted Cloud. "But we don't know if he's ever coming back."_

_Marle had infinite patience. She took care of a dozen orphans and still made time to sit and listen to Tifa cry over the same person day after day without showing any exhaustion or irritation. Tifa herself got sick of crying over Cloud long before Marle showed any indication of the same._

_The young woman knew that continuing to think Cloud would come back because of their childhood promise was silly. She had only told him she wanted to experience being rescued by her hero once, and Cloud had more than fulfilled that promise. She couldn't count the number of times during their previous adventure that he saved her from falling after the ground crumbled beneath them or when a fiend had her pinned._

_He didn't owe her anything anymore, and maybe that's what this was really all about._

_"I need to make lunch for the kids, would you like to help?" Marle asked as Tifa continued to sulk._

_The brunette lifted her head a little and nodded with a sniffle. She and Marle made sandwiches for all the children and ate with them. Tifa didn't smile, but she didn't feel like crying anymore after sitting with the children._

* * *

Tifa started helping Marle regularly with the orphans to take her mind off Cloud. Some days she checked in on Chocobo Sam and the new taxi service he started in Edge. On other days she would train with Jules at his new gym or chat with Andrea. She was also still helping to build Edge most days, but she would have to stop earlier than she used to when Cloud was still around so she could prepare her bar for the evening. She still cried herself to sleep at night, but after two months without Cloud, she was starting to hold it together at work better.

Part of that was the fact that business had picked up considerably since the days when they were so hard up for cash that they allowed the Turks to enter.

The Turks. Tifa stopped cleaning and leaned against the bar. She was still angry at what Reno had said to her. It wasn't so much _that_ he said it or how, but the fact that she had always felt she was really to blame for the plate falling on Sector 7. Her bar was AVALANCHE's base of operations, and if they hadn't blown up those reactors, Shinra wouldn't have come after them and all those people.

Reno had always had this way of tapping into a person's deepest pain. It's probably why he was a Turk, she thought.

Tifa shook her head and scoffed. Neither Reno nor Rude had been back to the bar since that night, and though she missed Rude's generous tips, she didn't miss their presence. The bar was at a point where she didn't need their patronage, but at this point she knew she couldn't just ban them from her business, as much as she would like to.

As if the Gods were listening and wanting to play a trick on her, Tifa heard a knock on the front door to the bar, bringing her back from her thoughts. She strolled over and opened the door to find Rude standing outside in his trademark blue suit and sunglasses.

Tifa tried to close the door but his hand shot out to hold it open.

"I'm here to apologize," he said, bracing the door open with his shoulder. His tone displayed his usual lack of emotion. The bald Turk had realized last week that if he were ever going to turn his crush into anything more, he would have to take matters into his own hands.

"For what?" Tifa asked, still keeping the door partially closed.

"For… everything," Rude said. "For the other night, for Reno, for Sector 7, for everything that happened back then, for _Reno_."

The corner of Tifa's lip twitched ever so slightly at his last words but quickly faded. She could never forgive the Turks. Still, he was here and apologizing and they had helped people escape Meteor. They also had been good customers up until last week. She was also surprised to hear him put an entire sentence together. She opened the door to give him permission to enter the bar without saying a word. Rude walked straight to his usual stool and sat down. Tifa returned to the other side of the bar.

"You've got to know," Rude said, looking down at the rosewood, "back then, we thought we were doing the right thing."

Tifa said nothing and resumed cleaning. How could he and the other Turks possibly think they were the good guys?

"We worked for Shinra, which provided power for the people," Rude continued. "And AVALANCHE was trying to take that away."

"But Shinra was killing the planet, how can you possibly think you were the good guys?" Tifa asked.

"I never saw myself as a good guy, but I was protecting my employer."

"And Reno?"

"Shinra was everything to Reno."

Tifa sighed. Before she could respond, she and Rude heard shouting outside. People were in distress. Without a second thought she jumped over the bar and ran for the door. Rude was right behind her.

Tifa looked around for the source of the noise. She could hear screaming from around the block and the sound of buildings being smashed. She ran around the corner to find a large elfadunk had found its way this far into town and was panicking. As people ran and screamed it became more agitated and was using its tusks to damage nearby homes.

Tifa had become used to helping cull the monster population as the city was built out. At first, they had to fight back a lot of fiends as they built the city in the open plains, but those attacks seemed to die down once city limits were established. After that, it was rare for a monster to wander into town, but for the past year or so, the attacks had steadily escalated. Tifa was now fighting monsters every day outside her bar or on the way to Marle's or the theater she was now helping to build. This elfadunk was the second attack she faced today.

Tifa ran up to the beast and punched it in the face. It moved to gore her with its tusks, but Rude appeared next to her and caught its attention with an uppercut to the throat. The creature screeched and thrashed wildly. Rude was able to leap out of its way, as the creature seemed fixated on Tifa. She spun around to kick it, but the beast used its tusks to lift her into the air and then shook its head to throw her into the side of a nearby building.

Tifa lifted her head up from the pavement to see a pair of skinny legs standing in front of her. They were wearing fitted blue dress pants. Her eyes slowly looked up and she saw a hand with long, slender fingers extended toward her. She continued to raise her eyes until she realized that Reno stood in front of her, his hand outstretched.

"Need some help?" he asked while sporting his trademark grin.

Tifa knocked his hand away with her own and shook her head.

"Not from _you_ ," she said, coldly.

Before she could get up on her own, she watched as Reno moved his right hand to reach out to her once again while his free hand reached for his weapon. Tifa saw every move he made from that point on as if it were moving in slow motion, yet he was not. Her eyes widened as he unhooked his Electro Mag Rod from his belt and brought the weapon up in front of her. He pushed the button to power it up, and Tifa prepared herself for its sting.

Gods, she had always hated that weapon of his. If he wasn't jabbing her with thousands of volts of electricity, he was encasing her in a golden pyramid that _also_ sent thousands of volts of electricity through her body, while also locking her in place, unable to get away. She'd twitch for hours after a fight with the redheaded Turk, cursing his name all the while.

Reno never took his eyes off of Tifa. Once he had brought his weapon up, he stretched it out to his side. The bartender could hear the sound of the weapon colliding with something, and scrunched her eyes closed to avoid the bright sparks.

When she opened her eyes again, Reno was still standing over her. His hand was still reaching for her, but to his side lay the body of the elfadunk.

"Yeah, I think you do," he said with a smirk.

Tifa let out a huff and glared at him, reluctantly accepting his offer to help her up.

Without another word to Reno or Rude, Tifa returned to Seventh Heaven and flipped on the "open" sign. Before the door even closed behind her, the Turks had entered and were heading to their usual seats. She didn't even need to see them enter to know that it was them behind her, the stench of the elfadunk still heavy in the air. She poured them each a glass of scotch and busied herself in the storage room until she heard more customers arrive.

"Hey! Thanks for leavin' me to fight the fiends by myself, partner," Reno scolded after Tifa had left their view.

Rude took a sip of his drink without acknowledging Reno's comment. "Too much for you to handle?" the bald Turk quipped.

"Tch, no, but next time you're gonna disappear on me let me know."

Rude continued to stare straight forward as if something on the liquor shelf was really interesting. "I was making sure we could still drink here," he said, holding his glass in front of his lips.

"Oh, is that what you were doing?"

"Yeah."

"And how did you do that?"

"I apologized to her. For real."

Reno seemed taken aback by Rude's admission, even though he had witnessed the man apologize the week before.

"She'll never forgive us," Reno said after a moment of thought, staring into his drink wistfully.

"Well, I'm gonna keep trying."

By this time a few more customers entered the bar and sat down, prompting Tifa to return from the storage room and start serving. Rude stared into his glass of scotch as usual, again trying to come up with something that might make Tifa smile. Reno spun in his bar stool to look around the room. There were a few pretty women sitting at a table on the opposite wall, but Reno's attention turned to Tifa.

He noticed the change in her just as Rude had, he was a Turk after all. Though it wouldn't take special Turk perception skills to see a woman who was heartbroken. He felt something deep within him as he looked at her tonight, something long kept dormant that seemed to be suddenly clawing at his insides. He took another sip of his drink, having to crane his neck down to his glass as he was leaning back on the bar on his elbows.

Maybe Rude was right about apologizing. The Turks and AVALANCHE weren't enemies anymore, in fact, for the past year-and-a-half or so they'd been working alongside – albeit not literally – to build Edge and keep the fiends at bay. Reno had certainly dropped his animosity toward Tifa during that time, since she was his favorite barkeep. He couldn't say the same of the other members of AVALANCHE. Strife always annoyed him, what with the bipolar way in which he treated Tifa and that giant sword of his. _Clearly compensating for something_ , Reno told himself. Barret was just a big oaf with rage issues. The vampire may have been an ex-Turk but that was before Reno was even born. The ninja was an annoying brat he could do without, the Ancient was dead, the lion dog scratched him too many times. He probably could have gotten along with Cid, since they both smoked and liked to pilot aircraft, but Reno had always hated people that reminded him too much of himself. He also didn't like Reeve personally and would never be caught dead with the little robot cat and moogle.

No, Tifa was the only member of AVALANCHE he could stand, and it wasn't just because of her looks. She always seemed different from the others. Reno had read her file at Shinra, he knew she had just as much – if not _more_ – of a reason to hate Shinra than the rest of that ragtag group of assholes, yet he constantly caught her questioning their actions. It wouldn't make her a good Turk, that's for sure, but it seemed to make her more… moral… than the rest of them.

He could hear Tifa mixing a drink behind him, so he spun around to watch her shake the mixer. She was so much fun to watch. Her back was to him, as she was constantly aware of the distance between them.

Reno took a deep breath. He could do this. For Rude.

"You know, Lockhart, we don't do that Turk shit anymore," he said.

She continued mixing as if she hadn't heard him. Rude turned to his partner, his eyebrows visible above his sunglasses and his mouth slightly agape. Could Reno _really_ be trying to be a decent human being for once?

Tifa opened the shaker and poured a drink before taking it to a woman at the other end of the bar. Reno watched as she offered that fake smile of hers to appear friendly for tips. Tifa then leaned against her hands on the bar and zoned out for a moment. Reno saw her nostril twitch. She was about to take the bait. She flinched in distress before turning to walk back toward the Turks. It was eating at her.

"If you don't do that 'Turk shit' anymore," she accentuated using air quotes, "then why do you still wear those uniforms every day?"

"Because we look _damn_ good in them, babe," he said, leaning back from the bar enough to give her a better view of his chest.

Rude rolled his eyes. Tifa narrowed her eyes and approached the bar, closer than she usually got to them unless she was giving them another drink. She leaned slightly forward and pursed her lips.

"So, all those rumors that Rufus survived are just…" she suggested incredulously, waving a hand dismissively.

She was astute, he had to give her that. The two Turks in front of her took just a split second too long to answer her.

"…rumors," Reno finished her sentence, but the damage was already done. At least he didn't tell her how he and Rude found Rufus two weeks after the calamity in an underground bunker at Shinra headquarters, injured from a fall. He also didn't tell her how they spent the next few months acting as Rufus' bodyguards while he "recovered" at Healen Lodge. And he _certainly_ didn't tell her that Rufus was helping to fund most of the reconstruction and public services. Did she think Reeve was funding all this?

"So, it's true!" she exclaimed, accidentally alerting some patrons to their conversation. She lowered her head and whispered. "He's alive?"

"We didn't say that," Rude interjected quickly.

Tifa stood back up and clicked her tongue. "That bastard," she said, shaking her head. "I knew you all were like cockroaches. You never die. Only good people die." She looked sullen again and returned to her other customers for a while.

"Way to go," Rude said, elbowing Reno in the side.

"I didn't see you lying to her," the redhead retorted.

Rude sneered. Reno was better at lying than this. Rude couldn't lie to Tifa, but Reno shouldn't have had that problem.

When Tifa came back to give them new drinks, Reno tried again.

"Yanno, a lot of bad people died too – Sephiroth, Heidegger, Scarlet, the first president, Hojo," he informed her before she could disappear again.

Tifa appeared to consider his claim and nodded, her face expressionless. At least Reno recognized he worked with terrible people. Could there be redemption for the Turks? The men who dropped the plate on Sector 7? Who kidnapped Aerith? They hadn't put up a fight in Wutai, in fact, they kind of worked together when Don Corneo took Yuffie and Elena. They also let them pass in Midgar as they traveled to the Shinra building for the last time.

But then she thought back to that day on the pillar. How they shot at her and Cloud from the helicopter – how Cloud saved her then, too – and how they attacked them on top of the pillar. Reno jumped from the helicopter trying to attack Cloud before running past him to the main control panel and activating the plate separation sequence. She thought of the stings from his mag rod and how he seemed to keep her in a pyramid the entire fight. For the brief moments she was free, Rude tried to avoid her attacks without hurting her. She definitely thought she was treated differently than the men she was fighting alongside.

Tifa remembered how helpless she felt as she stared at the control panel, knowing that even though the pillar separation hadn't been authorized, she couldn't do anything to stop what Reno had started.

And then the whispers came.

The next thing she knew, she was flung backwards several feet. When she looked up, _Rude_ was standing at the control panel, confirming the sector's fate.

No, she couldn't forgive them. But maybe she could tolerate them now that they weren't so murderous.

Rude watched Tifa clearly battle with something silently. She was visibly angry for a moment before softening when a customer called to her. He sensed she was thinking about him and Reno. If only she knew how badly they didn't want to drop the plate, and how awful they felt about it after.

* * *

_They were in the helicopter over the train graveyard in Sector 7, cloaked in the darkness of the plate at night, when they received the call they had been dreading._

_"Understood," Rude said, ending the call and turning to Reno. "The AVALANCHE mission's been approved. We are to proceed as planned."_

_"This is bullshit. What the hell are they thinking?" Reno asked, his voice heavy._

_"'Threats to public order are to be summarily put down,'" Rude quoted, no hint of emotion in his voice. "This is what we've always done."_

_"'Summarily put down,'" Reno quoted back, letting his gaze fall to his left to look out the window. Neither man said anything for a moment, each thinking about what they had signed up for. They weren't ones to question their orders, but this mission… "Guess it's a little late to grow a conscience," Reno said with a smirk._

_A few minutes later, Tseng gave them the plate separation code – again – as if the two veteran Turks couldn't remember a simple password. It was really happening. He and Rude were really going to become some of Gaia's worst mass murderers._

_"Yeah, yeah, of course I do! We can drop the damn thing whenever…" Reno said from the co-pilot's chair of the helicopter. While he considered himself Shinra's best helicopter pilot, he'd gladly give the controls over to Rude if it meant he got to fire the weapons at slum rats. "It's just that…"_

_The helicopter jerked as members of AVALANCHE shot at them._

_"You got a death wish or something?" Reno growled at Rude. "Because I sure as shit don't."_

_"Reno, what's happening? Do we have a problem?" Tseng asked over the helicopter's communications device._

_"Not really. Small arms fire from some local boys trying to defend the pillar," the redhead responded."_

_"More would-be heroes, huh?" Tseng smirked. "Sending reinforcements. The more players that take the stage, the better."_

_It was pretty poetic, coming from their usually brusque leader._

_"So, that's what we are, huh?" Reno mused as he leaned back into his seat._

_"Contact me when the mission is complete," Tseng said, offering no reassurance._

_They did their jobs. Reno nearly died supporting his employer, but as he recovered on the General Affairs' auditing department couch, he and his partner couldn't shake their guilt. The pillar had fallen the night before, and they had been rather quiet ever since. Reno had nightmares as he slept in the sick bay. He had escaped – thanks to Rude – before the plate fell, but when he slept he saw the faces of mothers and children as they screamed for their lives. He didn't know anyone in Sector 7 except for the AVALANCHE assholes, yet even some of_ their _faces haunted his dreams._

_He shifted uncomfortably on the couch as Tseng filled out paperwork, calm as ever, as if he hadn't just given the order to murder thousands of people._

_"You know, Reno," Tseng said suddenly. "I think you might be due for some R &R." At least Tseng was compassionate – to some._

_Reno lifted his right arm, which was still in pain from his two fights with Cloud Strife and being caught in the helicopter explosion._

_"Nah, I'm good…" he lied, his face still bandaged from his injuries._

_Rude, too, had been suffering. Silently, of course._

_"What are we going to do about Sector 7?" he asked their leader._

_Tseng huffed, unhappy that his two best subordinates seemed to be regretting their work. "'We' are going to do nothing," he said._

_"Been thinking. Was all that necessary?" Rude continued._

_"Had we refused, someone else would've completed the task," Tseng replied, annoyed. "We have spared that someone the burden of a guilty conscience. Perhaps that will ease yours."_

_"Yeah… nope," Reno sighed. Tseng couldn't really have thought that would work, could he?_

_Tseng leaned back in his chair, getting agitated with this conversation. "Let's try another tack then," he said. "They were a sacrifice to balance the scales."_

_Reno turned his head as best he could, his neck sore. "Say what?"_

_"After everything we've taken from the planet, we were due to give something back," Tseng offered, returning to his paperwork._

_"Do you actually believe that?" Rude asked, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table and look at Tseng pointedly from behind his sunglasses._

_"Does it matter? Tseng asked._

_Before they could discuss further, another call came in. Rufus was back._

* * *

"We really do regret what happened back then," Rude said when Tifa again returned to their part of the bar. She regarded him darkly, hating the constant drudging up of her past that occurred when the Turks were around. "We really aren't in that sort of business anymore."

Tifa sighed, letting her chest drop as she considered his words. Could she trust a Turk? No. No she could not.

"Well, hey, how about this, then?" Reno piped in. "If you ever hear about us gettin' back into that shit, you can come kick our asses personally. We won't even fight back."

He grinned and smacked Rude on the shoulder as if to indicate for him to agree. Rude responded with a barely discernible nod. He didn't know what Rufus would order them to do, and he didn't much like the idea of agreeing to his own death, even if it was at the hands of Tifa Lockhart.

And then he saw something he never could imagine. Tifa Lockhart _smiled_ at Reno's offer. He didn't think she even realized she was doing it, it seemed so foreign given her past few months.

"I'll hold you to that," she said, _almost_ jokingly. Reno seemed pretty proud of himself.

Tifa finally realized she was smiling and wiped the smirk from her mouth, turning quickly to see if any customers out at the tables needed anything.

It had been the first time she genuinely smiled in about eight months. And it was because of a _Turk_.


	4. Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I told you your tea is too damn hot." - Cid Highwind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue taken from Final Fantasy VII

The setting sun in Wutai hovered between the large wooden pillars of the torii that stood at the entrance to the city's western side, where the ancient pagoda and Godo's palace sat. The bright orange orb sat just below the crown of the archway, perched above the line of mountains stretching against the horizon, casting those mountains in a deep purple. They sky above the mountain peaks was an orangey pink, stretching out from either side of the sun. Further north, the sky faded into pink, purple, and finally dark blue, with the first twinkling stars of night visible to those who looked hard enough.

A gentle breeze disturbed the Wutain maple trees, which cast their shadows long against the buildings of Eastern Wutai. The canal that ran through the city flowed quietly in the evening, reflecting the colors of the sky in its small waves.

The town was peaceful, the residents quietly home with their families and settling in for the night. As they went about their lives – eating dinner, watching TV, enjoying a conversation – their quiet was interrupted by a loud, bird-like shriek.

It echoed off the Da Chao cliffs and reverberated within the walls of the dwellings and shops, halting most citizens in place while inciting others to action.

"Guards!"

It was the fifth time that day authorities had been summoned by a townsperson, and they knew what it meant: Another monster had entered Wutai. The city protectors stationed at the main gate drew their weapons in an attempt to get the creature to stay outside the city limits but had been pushed back toward Yuffie's house. They were quickly joined by residents armed with their own swords or random pieces of equipment they decided to use as weapons. By the time the city's main defenders arrived, the fiend was already surrounded by people who were repeatedly trying to jab it with pointy things.

The wild garuda slashed and pecked at the villagers around it, managing to swipe one off his feet with a thrust of its muscular arm. One of the guards lunged forward and stabbed the creature with his katana. The beast raised its head and cried out in pain but continued to fight, the sword still sticking out of its shoulder. It threw its head to the side and knocked the guard back several feet. It got a hold of another guard and threw him into some of the armed citizens.

A small, lone figured watched from a distance at the scene taking place just inside the city. She was crouched upon the roof of her house, silhouetted against the second floor of the building behind her. Yuffie Kisaragi had never seen so many monsters get into the town in one day before, and she had _certainly_ never seen any put up such a fight. As she watched the garuda take out the guards and residents, she readied her Conformer.

She held the weapon in front of her, flattened, and looked down the length of it as if it were the scope on a gun. She pointed it right at the garuda's head and followed its movements. She then tightened her grip on the weapon, bent her elbow to raise it back to her shoulder, and with one effortless motion, hurled the Conformer at the beast, slashing its neck. Blood shot out of the creature's jugular, splattering some of the people fighting it, before it fell to its side in the dirt. The residents and guards lowered their weapons, slightly confused by the projectile that had just killed their target. They quickly realized what had happened and looked around for the young woman who had helped them.

They wouldn't find her. Yuffie caught her Conformer as smoothly as she had thrown it, disappearing into the night to consider what was happening to her homeland.

_Cosmo Canyon…_

Nanaki leapt onto the griffin's back, latching onto its hide with his claws and clamping down onto its feathery neck with his teeth. The creature shook its neck violently, trying its best to throw the red beast, but its focus was broken long enough for others in Cosmo Canyon to advance.

The creature had broken through the first set of barriers at the base of the canyon, the city's first line of defense. Nanaki had been out hunting when he heard the two familiar guards grunting and yelling at the monster. He galloped toward them and then past them without a word, leaping onto the griffin. Those two guards had now each stabbed it in the chest with their swords, killing it instantly. It fell to the ground before Nanaki even let go of its neck.

He landed, as always, on all fours, and turned to face the guards.

"That's the tenth monster this week to break through our barriers," one of the guards told the red lion.

"It's never been this bad before," said the other.

Nanaki shook his head and looked up at Bugenhagen's observatory.

"What's going on, Grandpa?" he asked, knowing he would receive no answer.

The attacks had become more frequent over the past year and seemed to be escalating at an even quicker pace during the past few months. Nanaki now spent much of his days patrolling the lower canyon for fiends to try to kill them before they could reach the first sets of guards. If the current trend continued, the monsters could reach the main city within months. Nanaki was determined not to let that happen.

He had returned to Cosmo Canyon with the promise that he would protect the people of the small spiritual community as his father, the great warrior Seto, had done decades earlier. Nanaki was still young by his species' standards, now just 50, but he was determined to lead and protect as if he were an adult. He had to. It was his destiny, even if he and his AVALANCHE companions had destroyed destiny nearly two years ago. The people of Cosmo Canyon still believed in it, and so did their protector.

_North Corel…_

"Fire in the hole!" Barret yelled as he pressed an Ice materia into his weapon and opened fire on the three bombs threatening the coal miners.

The rotund fiery little demon spawns hurled fire balls at Barret, who held his gun arm up to protect himself from their attacks. A couple of the miners behind him tossed grenades at the creatures, which only served to anger them. One gritted its teeth and began shaking, increasing its mass by about 50%.

Barret motioned for his team to get deeper into the mine. They had just finished their lunch break and were heading back to work when they felt the intense heat radiating from the bombs. Barret had groaned – they had battled at least a dozen monsters this week. North Corel had grown considerably in the past year and a half, but it was not prepared for the increase in monster attacks that had started a year ago. The town no longer relied on tents as homes; people had upgraded to small huts and cabins as they worked to establish businesses and roads.

When Barret first returned, the people of North Corel still shunned him, even though he had been with Cid to stop the train from colliding with the town. He refused to give up and eventually convinced the people to let him see if there was still coal in the mines. There was, so he led a team to start mining again. He was able to use some of the money made from providing coal to to replace mako as a way to start drilling for oil in the fields around North Corel. Again, he was successful and was able to turn a once decimated town into the energy capital of the world. He was put in charge but refused to take anything for himself until the town was more prosperous. He built a small, two-bedroom shack for himself and Marlene but put every gil he made from his oil fields back into the town.

He would alternate his days between working the oil fields and helping the miners. He could never be someone like Reeve, who sat in an office all day making decisions. Barret had to be on the ground, with the people, or else he'd go stir crazy.

In addition to his duties with the town's commodities, he also helped train people to fight the monsters that were regularly attacking. He couldn't remember a time in all of his adventures where the world's cities had been so unsafe.

The two smaller bombs had now grown in size, while the larger one increased again. Barret knew the warning signs, called for his men to get as far into the mine as possible.

"Get the fuck outta here, it's gonna blow!" he growled, turning to run for cover himself.

He leapt into the air just as the bomb exploded, extending his good arm and his gun arm out to brace himself for landing. He twisted to land on his shoulder and rolled into a crouched position, pieces of the monster singing his skin and clothing. He felt weak, having been closer to the fiend than anyone else, but with what strength he had left he lifted his gun arm and fired at the two remaining bombs.

Barret woke up a few minutes later as a miner poured a phoenix down into his mouth. The bombs were dead, and his men had all survived. He scratched his head and blinked a few times, looking toward the entrance of the mine where the bombs had attacked.

"This shit is gettin' nuts," he said to no one in particular.

_Rocket Town…_

Cid was struggling to lead the scientists who made up his hometown in an effort to kill the swarm of kyuvilduns that had infested the rocket launch pad. The fiends stabbed his employees with their long beaks and clawed them with their spiny front legs. Cid jumped into the air to drive his spear into the carapace of one of creatures. Its red eyes tried to find what had attacked it but couldn't move its head to look up. Cid wrenched his sword from its back as black ooze seeped from where he had broken its shell.

He really hated bugs.

At one point, one of the beasts made it into the pilot's backyard while he was fighting another one elsewhere in town. When he returned home, he found a dead kyuvildun in his backyard; its face burned. Shera had thrown the pot of boiling water she had made for tea on it.

"I told you your tea is too damn hot," Cid told her. Shera shrugged.

Cid had to admit he was impressed with Shera's skills. When the monster attacks started increasing, he thought he would have to spend his days protecting her instead of working, as she refused to stay home and do nothing – even if it meant staying alive.

But Shera had proven herself more than capable at taking on the monsters that seemed to be infiltrating the town several times a day. She wasn't skilled in any particular weapon, so she would just use whatever was lying around, such as boiling water or one of Cid's tools. Since the monster attacks had become so frequent, however, he bought her a double-barrel shotgun just to be safe.

He already had to patch several holes in the wall of their home.

After the last bug was squashed, Cid's phone started ringing. He answered it, still looking over the dead body and wondering how he would remove it from his property.

"Hello? You too? I've been busy here. Every day. Yeah, sorry, no way I can leave now," Cid said before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Shera asked.

"Nanaki. Looks like the canyon is gettin' fuckin' overrun with monsters, too."

"He wanted your help?"

"Yeah. Apparently, he asked Barret for help, but North Corel is gettin' the shit kicked outta them as well."

"Hmm," Shera said, crossing her arms and hanging her head in thought.

Cid knew that look, she was trying to think of some scientific way to stop the monster attacks, but with a village as small as Rocket Town, it would be difficult to build something so impressive while fending off the daily attacks. As it stood, several scientists had to quit in order to patrol for monsters full-time. Cid wasn't happy about it, and he helped out during every battle, but it was all they could do. They had never needed a dedicated police force before, and he was damned if he was gonna ask Reeve to help him out.

_Edge…_

"Hello?" Tifa answered her phone. "Oh, hi Nanaki."

The red beast had a special phone made so he could call his friends after they parted ways. It consisted of a head piece with an attached microphone and voice-operated calling features. Reeve had it made for him, modified from one of the contraptions he used to control Cait Sith. It was a little crude, and the voice commands didn't always pick up what Nanaki was saying, but he managed. It was better than being cut off from the friends he missed so dearly.

"Yeah, it's getting really bad here, too," Tifa said in response to Nanaki's question. "Did you try Cid? Barret? Yuffie? Really?"

Tifa didn't bother asking whether he had reached out to Reeve, Cloud, or Vincent. Reeve was too busy planning Edge to take control of Cait Sith again, Cloud never answered his phone, and Vincent didn't even have one. Tifa hadn't even _seen_ Vincent since they all met at Aerith's lake a year and a half ago. She'd at least been able to contact all her other friends – except Cloud, once he left – to keep up with their lives and see how they were doing. She had… neglected to tell any of them that Cloud left, however. They'd ask how he was doing, and she'd cover it up by saying he was "good" or "just stepped out." She didn't know how much longer they would believe her.

"Do you have any idea what's causing it?" Tifa asked. Nanaki wasn't sure, but he suspected that the calamity had something to do with the increase in monsters.

"I wish I could come help, but we're struggling here as it is," she said, before Nanaki asked another question. "Um.. it's just me and the Turks."

Tifa had to hold the phone away from her ear at Nanaki's surprised exclamation.

"I know, but that's all I have," she answered. "If you find out anything else, let me know."

Tifa hung up and stared out the window. Her friends were in trouble, and she couldn't leave to help them.

She was struggling to keep Edge safe. It had been weeks since the elfadunk attack, and since then, dozens of monsters had caused havoc around town. The Turks took care of most of them, but Tifa helped when she ran her daily errands or when they were outside her bar.

The consistent attacks made her miss Cloud and her companions more than ever. They had been a team. She had rarely had to fight on her own. She was used to Cloud being by her side, slashing his sword wildly while she made sure his flanks were protected. If he were still here, she'd have no trouble with all the fights. It would feel like old times. Now she was more aware than ever that Cloud was gone.

Now she found herself relying on the Turks – the Turks! – for help in dispatching the monsters. In fact, the Turks were actually around to help her _a lot_ , lately. It seemed like every time a monster was attacking the street outside her business; the Turks were already on it or showed up just after she started pummeling the fiend. She hated to admit it, but she was glad they were there.

She was still cold to them, but she didn't completely ignore them like she used to. They were in her bar almost every night of the week – her most loyal customers, which unnerved her. She hadn't stopped hating them, but they were the only consistent thing in her life right now, and that somehow comforted her in some creepy way she tried not to think about.

When it was time to open the bar for the evening, Tifa walked over to the front door to flip on the lighted sign outside. She had no sooner taken her finger off the switch when the door opened, causing the bells above to jingle. A slender man with flaming red hair walked in wearing an immaculate dark blue suit with an unbuttoned jacket, revealing an untucked white dress shirt underneath that was wrinkled and haphazardly buttoned itself.

"Hiya, Lockhart," Reno said as he followed Tifa to the bar. Rude wasn't with him.

She didn't even acknowledge him, as she wasn't used to either of them coming in alone. They were almost always together; rarely with Elena. Tifa could have sworn she had seen Tseng in the hospital on the Chosen Day, but he hadn't come to the bar with the others and she didn't hear them talk about him. Of course, she didn't pay attention to their conversations, so that could be the reason.

Reno sat in his usual seat as Tifa walked behind the bar to prepare for more desirable customers. Not that the standard barflies were pleasant by any means, but they were preferable to Reno.

"So, about that drink you owe me," the young Turk said, undeterred by her silent treatment.

That got Tifa's attention. She snapped her head around to throw him a puzzled look.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know, for saving your ass from that elfadunk the other day?"

Tifa's expression didn't change.

"And I must say, it was a fine ass to save," Reno said, his eyes glancing down.

Tifa placed her hands on her hips and scowled at him, making a mental note not to walk too close to her former enemy.

"That was weeks ago," she informed him harshly, raising one hand into the air with her palm turned upward. "And where's your partner in crime?"

"Oh, he'll be in later," Reno replied. "Got held up at work so I thought I'd come bother ya."

The truth was, Rude was on a date that Elena had set up for him. Elena, too, wanted Rude to get over Tifa and thought that if Rude just met a woman who was smart and pretty and actually _interested_ in him, he might forget about the barmaid.

"Great," Tifa said sarcastically. Reno feigned an injury to his heart.

"Ouch, is that any way to talk to the man who saved your life?"

"You didn't save my life," she sneered. "If anything, you distracted me from defending myself."

"Oh? You find me distracting?"

Tifa rolled her eyes.

"That's not what I meant."

Reno grinned at her and winked.

"Sure, Lockhart. Now, about that drink?"

"Fine, you can have _one_ free drink. What do you want?"

"The usual."

Tifa grabbed a tumbler from the shelf behind the bar and placed it in front of Reno before grabbing her finest bottle of scotch – the one he always ordered – and pouring it in his glass, shorting him by about a half-inch. He noticed but said nothing, content enough with the fact that she was giving him free alcohol at all.

"Here," she said, forcefully, before pushing the glass closer to him. Reno picked it up and swirled the liquid inside before bringing it to his lips for a sip. He let out a sigh indicating his approval.

"That's the stuff," he said.

Tifa went back to her work as more customers entered the bar. As the room filled up, she was able to forget about Reno and busy herself with other patrons. She had been a little shaken by his comments. Was he… flirting with her? It was an odd development; one she didn't like. She might have caught him staring at her anatomy before, vaguely remembered an errant comment or two during their fights back before Meteorfall, but the idea of him thinking for one second that he had a chance with her made her blood boil. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of him even _looking_ at her.

She didn't notice that his eyes were trained on her almost the entire night, as if he were studying her.

* * *

 _"Hey, Rude. Who do you like?" Reno asked his friend and partner as they waited for AVALANCHE along the forest path to Gongaga. It was their first assignment since the plate dropped, and though they were thankful to be back out in the field – they hated office work – they did appreciate the break. They were rarely ever in the Shinra building, even though they lived there. They were always out on missions, sleeping in hotels or tents if necessary. The office meant paperwork and boredom – but they made the most of it by pranking their fellow employees, which meant people stayed out of their way when they were in HQ. No, their apartments were only there so they could say they had a home. They had both grown up in the slums in unstable homes, so the idea of having their own place that couldn't go away unless_ they _chose seemed like a good idea._

_In truth, Reno had only asked the question so that he could tell Rude about who he liked. He had expected Rude to say Elena, their newest coworker, so that he could impress and confuse his partner by revealing who he had become infatuated with._

_It had happened weeks earlier, in Midgar. Reno was a skilled fighter and had never expected to meet a woman who could match him in a battle. The women he usually bed didn't put up much of a fight, so he was surprised that he had become attracted to one who could._

_It was when her heel first clipped his jaw that he had become enamored. A moment before impact, he had noticed a glimpse of white beneath her skirt. He would later credit that with distracting him just long enough for her foot to make contact with his face. He knew right then that he was smitten, though he would never call it that._

_But he also realized he was there to work. He knew that continuing to fight with her would distract him from pushing the button to destroy the pillar holding up Sector 7. She was just as quick and agile as he was, matching his every move; he had to take her out of the equation. He used his EMR to construct a pyramid-shaped force field around her, freezing her in place so that he could concentrate on taking out her companions._

_Her presence, however, was enough to distract him. He found himself glancing over at her as she remained imprisoned, suspended in air, chest raised, writhing in pain from the electricity coursing through her veins. The first time Reno saw her in that state, his left eye twitched and Cloud Strife was able to knock him off balance._

_When the force field was finally broken, Reno reinstated it. He soon realized that her male companions might get wise to him, so he alternated his pyramids on them as well and tried to focus his attention on the party member that was neither imprisoned nor blessed with great tits._

_He had taken quite a beating atop the pillar before the chopper crashed and Rude joined the fight. Reno lasted a little longer against the AVALANCHE rats, but finally succumbed to his injuries. Those rats didn't play fair – that was_ his _move. If Rude hadn't been able to get to main control panel, Reno would have cost them the mission. No, she would have cost them the mission. If it hadn't been for her legs and tits, Reno might have been able to concentrate._

_As he lay around the office recovering, he found his mind drifting back to her quite often. He hadn't felt this way before and didn't understand it. Lust, he understood, but not whatever it was he was feeling in addition to sexual urges._

_He began imagining himself fighting with her, seeing it as some alternate version of sex; the give and take, the sweat and grunting, the conquest. He would close his eyes and imagine her running toward him, ready to attack. He would imagine her arm cocked and her fist prepared to punch him, her breasts bouncing as she kicked and leapt to avoid his own attacks, and her skirt unable to cover her as she spun her toned legs around him. It was those thoughts that made him almost want to take Tseng up on his R &R offer – but then he might not get to see her again for a while, and he _had _to know if that unexplainable feeling he had was just a fluke; he wanted it to go away._

 _It was weird, he thought, that he was now getting turned on by a battle. He had gotten into some weird fetishes over the years, some of which had come and gone (literally_ and _figuratively). He would always gleefully fill Rude in on his latest kinks and had been wanting to ask him who he was fawning over these days just so he could explain. He stuck his tongue out between his teeth and readied himself for Rude's answer by rocking back and forth on the balls his feet in a fighting stance._

_"…Tifa," Rude said, bringing Reno back down to earth._

_The redhead didn't know how to respond. Rude had knocked the wind out of his metaphorical sails. Now Reno_ couldn't _tell him that he also liked Tifa. He mentally kicked himself for bringing this whole thing up._

_"Hmmm," Reno replied, at a loss for words. "That's a tough one. But, poor Elena. She… you…"_

_Reno really had thought that Rude liked Elena. They seemed to get along so well, and Reno much preferred his partner like the short-haired blonde and not the long-haired brunette that spent her evenings twirling in Reno's imagination._

_"No, she likes Tseng," Rude said, plainly._

_"I never knew that! But Tseng likes that Ancient…"_

_Neither had time to finish their conversation before Cloud, that lion-dog thing, and_ she _appeared._

* * *

Ever since Reno first saw her, he couldn't get her out of his head. After his conversation with Rude, however, he tried to suppress his attraction and find comfort in the arms of many different women. He never told Rude about his own feelings for the barmaid and had managed to nearly forget about her by the time Meteor came around, since by then he hadn't seen her in months. In fact, until the night of the calamity, he hadn't seen her since Gongaga, except on monitors and television screens as she and AVALANCHE traveled the plant - and of course, in his dreams.

Before then, he realized that he was not just attracted to the fight in Tifa, although he very much wanted to fight her again – alone. There was something more. No, not her personality, as he didn't _really_ know her. It was the air about her. Despite the way she dressed, she seemed so pure, so innocent. Something about that made Reno want to corrupt her.

The women he was used to certainly didn't have that same aura. Not even Aerith had it. During their days following Sephiroth, Reno had suspected that Tifa was a virgin. The thought of taking that away from her drove him crazy.

Since he had been coming to Seventh Heaven with Rude and seeing how she interacted with Cloud, however, he knew that was not the case. Yet still she had that aura of innocence about her. He figured Cloud just couldn't dirty her up enough. Reno knew that if he got the chance, he could pound that purity right the hell out of her.

But he knew he would never get a chance if he kept antagonizing her, even if the look of anger on her face turned him on. If he were ever to conquer her, he would have to play nice, and he told himself that conquering her was all he wanted from the busty brunette.

"Another drink?" she asked, bringing him back to reality. He hadn't noticed how long he had been zoned out. He nodded meekly at her and she turned around to grab his favorite bottle of scotch. His eyes focused on her posterior as she did so.

"So, where's Cloud?" Reno heard himself ask, scrunching his face in disappointment at his choice of question.

Some old habits die hard.

He could see Tifa's muscles tighten at the mention of the pokey-headed dork's name. It delighted Reno, even if he knew instantly he had chosen the wrong discussion topic. Still, the tenseness of her muscles showed them off, and he knew that even if he couldn't turn things around tonight, he would have plenty to imagine later.

"He's out," she said, straightening her back but not turning to face him just yet.

"For three months?" Reno pressed. He just couldn't help himself.

Tifa took a deep breath before turning around to pour Reno another drink.

"Yes," she said. "He's out picking up supplies."

Reno knew she was lying and decided to keep picking.

"If I knew a woman like you were at home waiting for me, I'd never leave," he said, looking into her eyes with a smirk. His comments and expression frightened Tifa a little, combined with his earlier flirtations. She took a step back from him, bumping into the liquor shelf behind her. He kept his eyes focused on hers. "Yanno, his head looks like a chocobo's butt."

Tifa chortled but quickly caught herself. Had _Reno_ just made her laugh? She covered her mouth with her hand and steeled her expression. This _murderer_ may have made her smile a few weeks ago, but he would _not_ make her laugh, nor would they become friendly. She didn't even know why his statement made her laugh. Maybe it was the fact that the usually vulgar-tongued Reno used the word "butt" instead of "ass," or maybe it was because someone finally insulted Cloud and she was in a place to hear it. He had been gone three months, after all.

Marle would never go so far as to tear down Cloud, knowing how it would make Tifa feel. She kept her comments about the blond tepid, saying just enough to comfort Tifa.

"He's not out for supplies, is he?" Reno asked after Tifa had helped another customer.

Tifa stared at him for a moment, her expression becoming stony as she tried to keep his words from stinging her heart.

"We all have our demons, Reno," she said simply.

Her words burrowed into Reno's brain. He hadn't expected her to meet his barbs with such a comment. He knew she was referring to Cloud, but he felt the comment could have applied to Tifa herself or even to him.

Tifa resumed waiting on other customers, only returning to Reno when he needed another drink. He could tell that he had gotten to her, as her demeanor changed after her conversation with him. He wasn't satisfied though. He had told himself to stop angering her, and immediately failed as he _tried_ to anger her to get her to look at him as she had a month ago. Seeing her sad made him feel… guilty. He hated that. He was a Turk. Guilt was not part of the job description or an approved emotion. He felt guilt after the plate dropped and had vowed never to let it wash over him again. He failed at that, too.

Rude joined him an hour or so later. Reno slapped him on the back to welcome him to the "party" and let his partner capture his attention instead of Tifa. He had started a dangerous game by flirting with her tonight, even if it was just a couple of comments. His best friend had a crush on the same woman, and Reno knew how wrong it would be if he tried to pursue her. So, he now felt _that_ guilt as well. The only solace he could take was the fact that she would never, probably, in a million years ever even _consider_ one of them. Not when the blond Boy Wonder could come back at any minute.

"Earth to Reno," Rude said, tapping his knuckles against the side of the redhead's temple, as Reno had done a month ago the night he pissed off Tifa.

"Hey, knock it off!" he replied, swatting Rude's hand away. The bald man smirked.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked.

"Nope," Reno said, trying to control the corners of his lips that kept wanting to curl upward. Rude noticed, but assumed Reno had antagonized Tifa again, something the redhead seemed to enjoy. "So, I take it no luck?"

Rude scoffed. "No. She reminded me too much of you."

Reno tried not to smile by biting his lips but failed. Then he tried not to smile wider but failed that, too. _Then_ he tried not to laugh but, again, failed. Elena had set Rude up with a woman like Reno. Elena thought Rude would actually _like_ a female Reno. He had to wipe a tear from his eye by the time Rude spoke again.

"It's not funny!" Rude pouted, making a mental note to kill Elena.

His blind date had red hair, more orange than crimson, and honey-colored eyes and a feral grin. She was talkative and shared too much information about herself and had a sardonic sense of humor. Maybe she was what Rude needed, but she certainly wasn't what he wanted, and he didn't appreciate Elena's implications.

As it neared last call, Rude started standing up to pay his tab.

"Think I'm gonna head home early, it's been a hell of a night," he said, placing a large stack of gil on the bar – far more than Tifa deserved for the way she treated the Turks.

"I think I'll stay a bit. Maybe we spend too much time together…" Reno offered, pulling a sneer from Rude as the bald Turk turned to leave the bar.

Reno ordered another drink and watched Tifa as she cleaned up the empty tables. That used to be Cloud's job. When she was done with the tables, she moved back to the bar and announced that it was last call. She served a couple customers and began wiping down the bar itself.

"So, what are your demons?" Reno asked her when she was in earshot.

The question startled her, and she met his gaze.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You said earlier that we all have our demons," Reno said. "What are yours?"

"I am not discussing that with you," she said, harshly. She wasn't about to give him more ammunition to use against her. She thought he was like a child who picked at their scabs. He would use whatever she said against her in the future.

"Want to know mine?" he asked with his trademark grin.

"Not really," she said without looking at him, continuing to polish the rosewood.

"Sector 7 is one of my demons," Reno said. "I've always felt bad about it, yanno."

Tifa stopped cleaning but didn't look at him. She hadn't expected him to say that. She figured he was only saying that to get her to open up and returned to her work. Reno may have told her a few weeks ago that they didn't do that "Turk shit" anymore, but she never expected him to genuinely apologize for what happened. And in fact, that's not what he was doing right now.

"At the time, I thought you all were the bad guys," Reno continued, staring at the last few drops of liquor in his drink. "As we went on, I started to question my loyalty to Shinra, but that was my employer, yanno?"

"You kept going," Tifa said, looking Reno right in the eyes. "You gave no indication to us that you were questioning anything."

"Didn't you ever wonder if you were really doing the right thing?" Reno asked her. "But you kept on going, too, didn't you?"

Tifa had to admit that he was right. She had been nervous before she helped Cloud and Barret destroy the second reactor, and she _certainly_ questioned her role in AVALANCHE after the Sector 7 plate fell. But she continued on; she had to, for her friends and for the planet.

"Sometimes…" she responded, before returning to her polishing.

Reno nodded and finished the last of his drink. He paused before placing the glass down on the bar, instead continuing to move the glass as if he were swirling the non-existent liquid inside.

"We all have our demons," he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.


	5. Deep Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The number you have dialed is not in service. Please try again." - Cloud Strife's phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue taken from Final Fantasy VII: Remake.

_What are your demons?_

The words echoed in Tifa's head as she struggled to sleep. She had been tossing and turning for hours, unable to get the words Reno said to her out of her head. Sure, she was the one who first brought up the concept of "demons," but she was referring to Cloud.

She had convinced herself in her grief over Cloud's leaving that he was simply battling the demons of his past. She knew it was bull, as she felt guilt over things in her past too, as did everyone else on the planet. Yet she and just about everyone else on the planet moved on. They continued living. They found ways to either suppress the guilt or – for the lucky few – forgive themselves.

Tifa was in the former category. She carried her guilt with her wherever she went. She busied herself – with helping Marle, building Edge, fighting monsters, and working the bar – to suppress the guilt she felt. If she kept her mind focused on other things, she wouldn't have time to think about her mistakes.

Everyone was different, and she just hoped Cloud could find the path that she did. As the days after he left turned into weeks and then months, however, she began to lose hope that Cloud's path would lead him back to her.

It was 4:30 a.m. Tifa squinted her eyes at the bright screen of her phone. She knew that checking the time would almost guarantee she wouldn't go back to sleep but did it anyway. She thought that maybe she could bring up an article on her phone to read until she became tired again. It never worked, but any time she found herself struggling to sleep it was the first thing she thought to do.

Instead of reading, however, she quickly found herself scrolling through her contacts for one particular name.

She knew she shouldn't call. She learned months ago that one shouldn't call the person who broke their heart. It was embarrassing, and it showed weakness. Who would want to take back such a weak person?

She hadn't called Cloud in a little over a month. She knew it wouldn't make a difference. He never really answered his phone even when he was living with her. He only used it to make calls, not to receive them.

Tifa stared at his name on her phone screen until her vision went blurry. She imagined that if she stared at it long enough, he would call.

He didn't.

He had made no attempt to contact her after he left. Tifa had cried nearly every day the first two months, though she had managed to suck it up while she worked. She still cried herself to sleep some nights, but that had become less frequent over the past month as she battled more monsters with the Turks. Yes, the Turks were actually – against all odds and all her predictions or desires – becoming her acquaintances.

She ran her thumb over Cloud's name on her screen, as if doing so would allow her to actually feel him. Suddenly, the screen changed, and she realized she had accidentally called his number. Tifa's heart began to beat faster as she considered hanging up. The damage was done, she thought, and she might as well try to hear his voice when his call went to voicemail.

"The number you have dialed is not in service. Please try again," a voice said after several rings.

Tifa's heart sank.

_What have you done? What happened?_

She began to panic as her mind filled with all the possibilities that could lead to his phone being turned off permanently. Maybe he lost it. Maybe it was destroyed somehow. Maybe… he's hurt somewhere or even…

Tifa shook her head to clear the thoughts. She didn't even want to consider such a possibility. She would rather think that Cloud had dumped her but was alive than believe he was dead.

She continued to stare at her phone until the tears flowed again. After about 20 minutes of crying and screaming her frustrations into the void, she fell asleep.

* * *

"Get it together, Lockhart," Tifa said a few hours later as she supported herself on the bathroom sink and studied her features in the mirror.

It was weird, but she had always thought she looked quite beautiful after she had been crying. She certainly didn't believe she was anything to look at _while_ she was crying, but something about the way her eyes puffed afterward made her feel pretty. It was hard to explain.

She stepped into the shower to refresh for the day, deciding that she needed to know something for sure.

It was still early in the morning, with just a few people heading to work. The monster attacks were consistent, but most people were still able to get to work without being bothered. The Edge Police Department had also grown over the past few months and was regularly patrolling in order to assist people who were attacked.

The sky was still a deep, hazy blue – the color of Cloud's eyes when he was in a pensive mood. The morning fog hung over the town like a cool mist, making the late spring humidity almost bearable. Tifa kept her guard up for any signs of trouble, but she made her way down the main road of Edge easily. Her bar had been built along this road, which stretched from the Old Midgar Sector 5 gate to outside the new city. Seventh Heaven was about halfway between the Meteor statue and the entrance to Old Midgar, about an hour's walk.

Tifa breathed in the stuffy morning air as she approached the Sector 5 gate. Since Edge switched to using oil and coal, the smell of mako no longer hung in the air like hot, wet, garbage. Even without the plate above to trap in the smell down in the slums, it was still noticeable to her until the city no longer had to rely on mako power. She wondered if the people who lived above the plate could smell it, or if it was faint enough for them to ignore. Maybe she only smelled it because it was so pungent in the slums.

The Sector 5 gate had been sealed shut so people wouldn't have to be reminded of what Midgar looked like or the calamity, but a regular-sized door was built into the wall next to it for people to pass through if they wanted. It was a heavy metal door that took some effort to push, meant to deter most people from wandering in to the dangerous, abandoned city. Fiends had multiplied in the old metropolis, fighting alongside junkies and gangs that were run out of Edge.

For Tifa, entering Old Midgar was like stepping back into time. The slums were destroyed, yet just as dangerous and inhabited by some of the old dangers as when she had lived there. Paths had been cleared through the rubble of the plate, and some shanty towns had been built by the criminals that moved into the town. She hadn't been back here since before the gate was closed. Reeve no longer needed to send people into the old city to find supplies and equipment, as Edge could now manufacture what it needed and had enough money to import anything else.

Tifa had heard about the slum lords and degenerates but hadn't seen it with her own eyes. She was now walking past a row of shanty homes that made her uncomfortable. She knew who the junkies and gangbangers were back in the slums – and they learned not to mess with her – but she didn't know if these were new people. Luckily, it seemed they were all asleep, probably passed out from whatever they had done the night before.

She slipped past the shacks and moved on to her destination, an old decrepit building that had somehow avoided damage from Meteor and looked exactly as it had when Tifa first saw it nearly two years earlier. The stonework out front was crumbling, but the large wooden doors still stood solid. Tifa pushed the heavy doors open enough to get through them and see the morning sun casting its rays through what remained of the stained-glass windows. She walked down the center aisle, past the broken pews and the few that were still in somewhat decent condition. Her boots tread softly on the old creaky plank floor as she took notice of how the Sector 5 church hadn't changed one bit.

It was comforting and haunting at the same time. Now Tifa truly felt like she had gone back in time, while at the same time the memories of her dearly departed friend hung heavy in the air. Tifa stopped when she approached the flower garden. Somehow, the white and yellow lilies still thrived even though their caretaker had long since perished. Aerith's spirit must still linger. Tifa crouched down to brush her fingers over the petals of a yellow lily, staring into its center and zoning out.

* * *

_"You made it," she said to Cloud as he returned with Barret from blowing up the Sector 1 reactor. The blond just grunted at her as he strolled toward the front doors of the old Seventh Heaven – with a yellow lily pinned between his shirt and his suspenders. "Where'd you get that? I can't remember the last time I saw a real one."_

_She didn't think about it at that moment, but the last time she had seen a real flower was in Nibelheim, before the incident five years before Cloud came back into her life. The lily stuck to Cloud's chest reminded her of the Nibelweiss flowers that grew on the Nibel mountains just outside their hometown. They had been her favorite flower, but she hadn't thought about them in years. There was no point. Flowers didn't grow in the slums, and she couldn't afford to buy them from above the plate – if there were even florists up there._

_And then Cloud did something unexpected. He grunted again, as if he were annoyed, but he reached for the flower, plucked it from his suspenders, and dramatically presented it to her with just the slightest smile on his face._

_Tifa lifted her eyebrows at his gesture. "Huh?" she asked, staring at Cloud and not the flower. Cloud Strife, the hero from her dreams, had just brought her a flower? She blushed and had to look away from him, hoping he didn't see how red her cheeks had turned._

_"How sweet! When did_ you _get so thoughtful?" she asked, not meaning to sound so mean._

 _"A guy can change," Cloud said. "_ Has _been five years."_

 _He sounded almost... flirtatious._ Had _he changed?_

But just like that, the moment was ruined. Tifa hadn't seen Cloud in seven years – at least that's what she thought at the time – and her confusion caused him to stumble and recover by saying he needed to talk to Barret.

* * *

"Cloud, where _are_ you?" Tifa asked the flowers.

He had been gone three months, so she knew the odds of him being here were slim, but she had to know. She looked around. The boxes and chairs that littered the walls of the church were still there. Nothing appeared to have been disturbed and nothing was new. If Cloud had been here, there was no trace of him left.

Tifa thought that maybe he simply came here to talk to Aerith, since it was closer to home. It didn't look like anyone had been here in years, actually. Tifa felt like crying, but she had no more tears left from last night. Three months…

Maybe he was at the Forgotten Capital again. Maybe he didn't want to be found. Tifa thought that if she followed him it would anger him, like she was just some lovesick puppy that couldn't take a hint.

She hugged her arms around her stomach and turned to leave the church, walking slowly back toward the front door as she tried to hold herself together. As she was passing through the doors back outside, she could have sworn she heard a sweet voice say, "Hmm?" but when she turned back, she saw nothing.

Tifa looked up at the sky when she was back outside. The morning sun was hidden behind clouds, turning everything a steely blue. It would rain today. "No more steel sky," Tifa said softly to her friend as she continued to stare upward.

She started walking back to Seventh Heaven as a light drizzle began. She stopped at Marle's orphanage on her way to see if she could help with the children.

"Tifa! How are you? What are you doing here so early?" Marle asked, noticing the light mist that had settled on Tifa's head.

"I was just out for a walk, thought I'd stop by," Tifa said, still hugging her sides. Marle motioned for her to come inside.

"You can help me make breakfast, I remember how good you were with a skillet," Marle said with a wink as Tifa followed her into the kitchen. Tifa chuckled as she scanned the counter to find a bowl of whisked eggs and a skillet on the stove.

"Glad my cooking left such an impression," she said as she turned on the stove to continue with the eggs as Marle started slicing some bacon strips.

"So where were you off to so early in the morning?" Marle asked. Tifa sighed.

"I went to the Sector 5 church," she stopped pouring the eggs into the skillet. "To see if he was there."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry," Marle said.

"I knew he wouldn't be there. I don't know why it made me sad."

"You still miss him. It's still fresh."

"Yeah…"

"You should be going out with people your age; take your mind off things," Marle suggested.

"All my friends are in other towns."

"So, make some new ones! You're beautiful and famous, you should have no trouble meeting new people."

"I guess you're right."

"I'm always right."

Tifa chuckled. "I know, Marle."

"You have to have gotten close to _someone_ in town by now other than me, right?"

Tifa thought for a moment and shuddered. Then she groaned.

"Actually, the people I see the most are the Turks," she admitted, the words feeling like acid in her mouth.

"Those murderers? What do they want?"

"They've been helping fight the monsters in town. They've also helped with the construction."

Marle narrowed her eyes as Tifa scrambled the eggs.

"They tried to kill us all," Marle said.

"I know. I think… they regret it though," Tifa replied, surprised at herself for almost defending them.

"They said that?"

"Yeah. A couple of times, actually."

"Do you believe them?"

"Can you ever trust a Turk?" Both women laughed.

Marle sighed as she began placing bacon strips on a separate skillet on the stove.

"Well, they've got you laughing again. That's positive, at least."

"Marle."

"Tifa, I've seen a lot of crazy things in my life," Marle began. Tifa knew she was in for a bit of a lecture. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't believe people can change. I've seen it. Now, that doesn't mean you should embrace them or even forget what they did, but if you have people in your life right now that make you smile, don't reject them."

Tifa couldn't believe what she was hearing. But then, Marle always had a soft spot for lost souls.

"I can't get past what they did," the younger woman said, mixing some cheese into the eggs.

"I know, I was there, too," Marle replied. "But honey, that was two years ago. We've all moved on."

"Biggs and Jessie didn't," Tifa snapped, harsher than she intended. "They couldn't."

"And neither could those people who died when the reactors blew up," Marle said, immediately placing a hand on Tifa's shoulder to stop her from reacting. "I don't say that to be mean, I just want you to have perspective. We've all done things we regret; things we never wanted to do in the first place. But don't people at least deserve a second chance?"

"Are you seriously telling me to consider being their friend?"

Marle laughed. "No, of course not. But _you_ brought them up. The idea must be on your mind."

Tifa scoffed. Marle had to be wrong. Tifa wasn't thinking about the Turks at all unless they were physically near her – and she didn't like when they were near, even if they had been helping the people of Edge a lot.

"I don't know…" she sighed.

"You don't have to marry one of them, but if they can make you smile once in a while, don't fight it," Marle responded. "You don't have to prove to anyone that you loved him. We know. That doesn't mean you have to wallow in misery until he comes back."

Tifa considered Marle's words as they served breakfast to the children. The kids from the Leaf House made up most of the children at the orphanage, but there were a few kids Marlene's age and a few that were a little older than the rest. Tifa had seen the children play together and get into arguments, but during meals, they were all cooperative and quiet.

"Hey Tifa, has Cloud come back yet?" Oates asked.

"Oates!" Marle scolded.

"Sorry," Oates wilted. "It's just that, some older kids were bullying us the other day, and we were hoping he could teach us some self-defense moves."

"He's not back yet," Tifa informed the boy. "But I could teach you, if you like."

Some of the children perked up at her offer.

"I usually train in the morning alone, but I can come here and teach you during that time instead," Tifa added, to the children's delight.

The martial artist thought Marle was right about one thing: She needed to find things to take her mind off Cloud. Teaching the children, along with helping at the orphanage and building Edge, would all help.

On her way back to Seventh Heaven – the rain had let up while she was at the orphanage – Tifa was snapped out of her thoughts by skittering down the street in front of her. It wasn't the sounds of any fiend she was used to seeing in Edge, so she ran toward the commotion to see what was going on. A swarm of head hunters had invaded the city. Tifa squinted at them to be sure of what she was seeing; these were creatures native to Mideel, so why were they in Edge?

She didn't think too long before she ran toward one and drove her fist through its head. Another came up alongside her and she kicked out, smashing its carapace in its muddle. Two more jabbed at her with their front talons. She leapt into the air and landed with her heel on one's front leg, snapping it in half. The creature cried out in pain and Tifa hurled it toward its partner. The two tumbled backwards several feet, landing in front of two Edge police officers.

Tifa nodded to the officers as they took care of the beasts, leaving the bartender to return to her home. She entered and walked upstairs to brush out her hair, which had become frizzy from the earlier rain.

Today had taken a strange turn. Not only were the monster attacks increasing, but now creatures from other continents were appearing in the town? Tifa wondered if the two occurrences were related. They had to be, but she didn't understand it.

And what about Marle's suggestion? Tifa didn't think she was purposefully refusing to enjoy herself, it's just that nothing seemed to make her happy. It was just a fluke that Reno had made her smile and then laugh, right?

* * *

Like clockwork, the two Turks were in her bar shortly after opening. Tifa realized she was no longer tensing when they entered her bar. They were just regular customers at this point, not potential enemies. She took a deep breath and served their drinks, prepared to leave the two as soon as she set down their glasses as she usually did.

But for once, Rude had figured out something he could say to her. It wasn't anything profound, and he worried it wasn't interesting enough for her, but he had to try.

"Hey Tifa," he began, his voice stiff as always. "Can you believe this guy's birthday is next week?"

He ruffled Reno's hair as if he were a child. Reno swatted Rude's hand away and looked at his partner indignantly. "Hey, c'mon, yo."

Tifa's face softened a bit. She had never thought of the Turks as humans, let alone humans who celebrated their birthdays. She almost chuckled at the thought of these two tough guys wearing party hats and eating cake.

"Oh yeah? How old will you be?" she asked the redhead while wiping the inside of a glass.

Reno glared at his partner and shook his head before hanging it and looking at his hands around the glass of scotch in front of him. "30," he mumbled.

Tifa's eyes widened slightly.

"I had no idea you were so…"

"Young? I know. Second in command of the Turks before 30, pretty impressive, right?" Reno asked proudly.

"…old," Tifa finished her sentence and bit her lower lip in cautious regret. She really thought Reno was closer to her age with how immature he acted.

The redhead blinked and looked dejected, clearly never having been called "old" before. And 30 wasn't old, he thought, even if he didn't want to be crossing that age line. Must be the fact that Tifa was only 22, _everyone_ seemed old to a 22-year-old.

"Old?" he asked, sulking. Rude actually let out a short laugh at his partner's misery.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I thought you were younger when we were fighting," Tifa offered, surprised that she actually felt bad about her comment.

"Well, I was younger back _then_ ," he replied, cocking his head and sticking out his tongue. Tifa snickered before moving on to other customers.

And it went on like that. Over the next several weeks, Tifa found herself actually letting herself be included in Reno and Rude's conversations. She still hated them, she told herself, but she took Marle's words to heart about letting herself get distracted. Tifa occasionally had to remind herself who was making her laugh – the people who dropped the plate on Sector 7. But the Turks who came into her bar didn't seem to be the same sadistic corporate shills she had known back before Meteorfall.

She no longer hated the sight of them and was more friendly toward them when they were in the bar. They told her things about their jobs and Shinra, occasionally letting small details of their lives slip out. Reno even flirted with her sometimes, earning a grumble from Rude. Tifa kept her guard up, never letting them know _too_ much about her and putting Reno in his place if he got out of hand. She didn't tell them about Nibelheim or her life in the slums, or anything about where her friends were or what they were doing, but she would talk about her day sometimes, if they weren't drawing her into one of their nightly debates.

They didn't come in for Reno's birthday like she thought they would. He and Rude were there the day before and after, but apparently the Turks had a particular way to celebrate birthdays that they refused to explain to Tifa. She imagined explosives were involved.

"Hey Lockhart," Reno said to her one night, "settle a bet for us."

The bartender slung a dish rag over her shoulder and leaned over the counter to let them know she was listening, her eyes still roaming the bar in case other patrons needed her.

"If there was a Colosseum or Battle Arena just for monsters, what do you think would win?" Reno asked before quickly raising his index finger toward her. "But it _has_ to be something currently roaming the world, no one-time fiends like Jenova."

Rude nodded along as his partner spoke.

"Rude here says a master tonberry would rule, but my money's on a good ol' Midgar zolom."

"Hmm," Tifa said, considering the question.

She tried to think back to her travels and what creatures gave her the most trouble. The Midgar zoloms living in the swamp outside the Mythril Mine certainly were contenders, but those master tonberries were nasty in the Northern Crater. She also didn't want to just agree with one of them, though it would be funny to see how they reacted if she did.

"What about a malboro?" she countered.

The Turks looked at each other in surprise. "We didn't even think of that," Rude said.

"Yeah, I think my gil would be on a malboro," Tifa added. "Monsters don't tend to have too many immunities to status effects."

"Crafty, Lockhart," Reno said. Tifa lifted a finger to her temple as Reno tended to do.

The bartender returned to her work, again reminding herself that she shouldn't be fraternizing with anyone associated with Shinra.

After weeks of similar exchanges, Tifa decided she had to call Yuffie in the hopes the Wutai ninja would scold her back to reality.

"The _Turks_?" Yuffie screeched into the phone, causing Tifa to hold the receiver far away and brace herself. "The hell, Teef!"

Tifa giggled. "That's what I needed to hear, thanks Yuffie." She was sincere.

"Wait, wait, Tifa! Have they really changed?"

"Probably not, why?"

"I mean, what if they did, right?" Yuffie laying on her bed while talking to her friend.

"Goodbye Yuffie, I have to get ready for work," Tifa realized the conversation was futile.

* * *

The bar was set to open in an hour, so Tifa was busy with her daily ritual of preparing for customers. She removed the chairs from their resting places upside down on the tables and placed them properly on the floor. She cleaned each of the tables and polished the bar and swept the floors. She was removing the last batch of dishes from the dishwasher when she heard a loud crash outside followed by screams and several additional loud sounds.

She instantly recognized the commotion as yet another monster attack and rushed out of the bar to discover a large pack of Kalm fangs had invaded the city. Tifa put on her Premium Heart weapon and ran toward one of the fangs, which had a child pinned to the ground. Just before she reached the fang, she swung her leg around from the side to kick it in its ribcage, sending it yelping as it tumbled away from the child.

Two more fangs lunged toward Tifa. She thrust out her fist, planning on punching one into the other, but only managed to make contact with one as another fist shot out to attack the other. As both creatures fell to the ground, Tifa found that Rude was standing next to her in battle stance. The two fighters nodded to each other and separated to take on more fangs, which appeared to be growing in numbers.

Tifa could hear the sound of animals being electrocuted and smelled burnt flesh and fur. She turned around to see Reno dispatching a creature that was sneaking up behind her. He gave her a grin to indicate that he had just saved her ass again, but Tifa just shook her head and ran toward the next beast. She could take care of herself in a fight, even if she did find the Turks helpful.

Whenever she or the Turks dispatched one Kalm fang, two more seemed to spring up. By the time they had killed a couple dozen of the creatures, Tifa was starting to tire. She looked around to see that Rude was also starting to slow down. She then tried to find Reno but couldn't. Near the end of the block, however, a large group of fangs appeared to be attacking something on the ground. Every few seconds, Tifa would see sparks appearing and one of the fangs would yelp in pain and take a step back, but others would take its place. She and Rude looked at each other and fought their way toward the group.

Reno was lying on the ground frantically stabbing at the fangs with his EMR, which seemed to be running out of power. By the time Tifa and Rude got to him, they could see he was covered in blood, but they weren't sure it was all his. He was trying to hold the fangs off while also reaching for his backup pistol and fending off others with his EMR. Tifa and Rude worked to remove as many of the fangs as they could to help Reno get up. When he was up, the three stood back-to-back as they were surrounded by the beasts.

"Got any bright ideas?" Reno asked. Neither Tifa nor Rude responded. "Good plan."

Reno began firing into the pack and using his now depleted EMR as a baton. Tifa and Rude continued to fight as best they could.

Finally, Edge police officers arrived and were able to help the three kill the remaining monsters. When the last of the fangs fell, Rude and Reno staggered into Seventh Heaven behind Tifa.

"Yuffie took most of our materia, but I should still have a Restore lying around," Tifa said as Reno and Rude collapsed onto their usual bar stools.

She disappeared upstairs and the two men could hear her footsteps above them. She emerged back downstairs a moment later holding a glowing green orb. She cast it on each of them and felt her energy return. Despite its name, "cure" didn't actually cure everything. It could heal many cuts and bruises and could lessen the seriousness of major wounds, but it wasn't a replacement for medical care.

Even after the spell she noticed blood dripping from a deep gash on Reno's forehead. In the past, she would have left him to his injury, but since she had become – dare she say – friendly with them over the past couple months, she was despising them less. Somehow, against all odds, they had broken through her defenses and become something close to friends of hers. Tifa's nurturing instincts kicked in and she grabbed a towel and a first-aid kit from behind the bar.

Reno still appeared too out of it to even realize he was bleeding. Tifa walked over to him and pulled his shoulder back so he would turn to face her on the barstool.

"Whoa, hey Lockhart, what are you doing?" he asked, as if he were finally about to get the retribution he knew he deserved.

"You're wounded," she said as she began cleaning the gash.

She pressed the towel to his forehead to stop the bleeding and then wiped the remaining blood from his skin. Reno considered objecting – Turks can take care of themselves, after all – but he found that his face was quite close to Tifa's breasts as she bent over him to care for the injury. He couldn't see down her tank top, unfortunately, but it was a rare view from above he was not going to pass up.

"Nice view," he said with a grin as she started to dab bactine on the wound.

Tifa noticed what he was looking at and scoffed at him.

"Look up at the ceiling, perv," Tifa said before making sure he felt the bactine.

Reno winced but did as he was told. He lifted his head up but made one last attempt to look down her shirt. As he did so, he noticed blood was dripping onto her boot and the floor. He couldn't see a wound on her leg from where he was sitting.

"Lockhart, you're bleeding," he said.

Tifa finished placing a bandage on Reno's head wound and took a step back to look down at her legs. She could see the blood on her ankle and the floor but didn't see a wound on the front of her legs. She rotated her right ankle to point her toes outward. She could see the end of a deep gash on the upper part of her inner thigh, but the rest was on the back of her leg.

"Ugh, great," she said. "That's going to need stitches. I'll go get my kit."

"You're going to do that yourself?" Rude asked, having remained his usual silent self while Reno was tended to, quietly wishing _he_ had been the one to get injured.

"Of course, I've had to stitch up a lot of my friends," Tifa responded.

"Yeah but you can't reach that," Reno said.

"Sure I can, I'm pretty flexible."

"Okay, I'm going to save _that_ comment for a later day," Reno smirked. "Seriously though, let me stitch you up."

Tifa scoffed again.

"No way," she sneered. "I'll go to the emergency room." It was one thing to engage the Turks in conversation or even consider them acquaintances, it was quite another to let one of them _touch_ her, even if it was in a medical capacity.

"You really should let Reno do it, he's actually good with a needle," Rude interjected, his voice and tone still cold.

Tifa shook her head.

"Look, you can go to the emergency room, wait for several hours, continue to bleed everywhere, and then pay a huge bill, or you can let me help you, yo," Reno pleaded.

Tifa silently weighed her options. On the one hand, she didn't have time to wait around to be seen in the emergency room and she didn't want to fork over a ton of gil just for some stitches, but she had to weigh that against the cost of allowing Reno anywhere near her nether regions. She apparently took too long to decide, prompting Reno to complain.

"Wait, are you seriously debating this?" he asked.

She had been stitched up by non-doctors before when she was traveling with AVALANCHE. Either Jessie or Aerith, or sometimes Yuffie, would usually tend to her deeper wounds, and she would do the same for them. One time Cloud offered to help her, but Aerith interjected, much to Tifa's dismay. Still, Aerith was much better at that stuff than Cloud, so it was better that she handled the wound.

"Lockhart!" Tifa snapped back to reality at Reno's call. "Just lay down on the floor, I'll be done in two minutes!"

"I bet you say that to all the women," Tifa quipped.

Reno's jaw dropped open. His pride had been hurt, but he had to admit he never expected Tifa to make a joke like that, and certainly not to him, even if she had started to begrudgingly tolerate them and even joke with them at times. To his side, Rude let out a barely audible snort, but when Reno glared at him, he found his bald partner standing just as stiffly as always.

"Both of you, shut up," Reno hissed.

After a short snicker, Tifa took a long, deep breath before finally answering.

"Fine, but if any part of you touches any part of me other than this wound, I will kill you," she threatened.

"Got it, no fun," Reno said with his hands raised in the air defensively.

Tifa glared at him before walking behind the bar to get her suture kit and a dish towel to use to cover herself. She returned to where Reno was standing – still with that stupid grin on his face – and pushed the kit against his chest. She took one more deep breath, making sure to lock eyes with the red-haired Turk and give him a menacing expression, before she slowly moved to lay down on her stomach.

"Oooh, black," Reno said, eyeing Tifa's undergarments while getting down on his knees. "Nice."

Tifa whipped around to shoot daggers at her former enemy. Reno's grin widened as he tried to look innocent.

"One more comment like that and I'll – "

"I know, I know – you'll kill me," Reno said, again putting his hands up defensively.

"No, I was going to say I would smash them," Tifa replied, propping herself up on her side so that she could grind one fist into her other palm as she spoke. The movement caused her wound to stretch and strain. She welped.

"Okay, Lockhart, it's all out of my system. Dr. Reno is here to help."

Tifa rolled her eyes and laid back down, making sure to place the towel over her backside and between her legs to stay covered.

She winced the second she felt Reno's hand on her as he tapped her thigh to indicate she needed to move her leg so he could get better access to the wound. She closed her eyes and tried to pretend that it was not Reno whose hand was on her thigh, just inches from the hem of her skirt. She hated the fact that he was the first man to touch her there in nearly a year. Even worse, she hated the fact that her body seemed to react to it, as she felt butterflies in her stomach as he tended to her injury.

She could feel the pinch and pressure as he drove a suture into her skin and slowly worked to close the wound.

After a minute or two – though it seemed like much longer due to her antipathy toward him – she no longer felt movement on her leg.

"That's it, all done," Reno said triumphantly.

Tifa glanced over at Rude for confirmation. He gave a slight nod. She slowly got up and reached behind to feel the stitches, just to make sure they were done and she was no longer bleeding. Satisfied, she picked up the suture kit and the towel before adjusting the hem of her skirt.

"Thank you," she said without emotion.

"Hey, no problem," Reno said, cheerfully. "So, I think you owe me another free drink."

"This is the _last_ one," Tifa insisted as she took her first step toward the bar. She limped a few steps, getting used to the stitches she could now feel when she moved.

The two Turks sat at their usual barstools and waited patiently for their drinks. Rude regarded Reno a bit skeptically after Tifa's comment. Reno had never mentioned getting a free drink at Seventh Heaven before. Rude found it odd; that seemed like something Reno would want to brag about.

Tifa gave them each a free scotch, making sure to shortchange them on alcohol just as she had done for Reno the last time he asked for a freebie.

"Some fight today, huh?" Reno asked when Tifa was near their corner of the bar later in the evening once the business was busier. "Think you'll have to start paying us for all our personal bodyguard work, yo."

"Hmm, I seem to recall being the one to save _your_ ass today, _yo_ ," Tifa said, mocking Reno's tone. For the second time that day, Rude snorted in delight.

"Just a fluke, babe," Reno retorted. Tifa rolled her eyes and returned to her other customers.

Both men watched her work, though Rude wasn't aware that Reno was also watching the barmaid and not scanning for other women. Cloud had been gone four months, and the Turks were seeing Tifa start to lighten up. Whereas before she always looked just two seconds away from crying, now she was able to hold the neutral smile she had before the blond jackass left.

They saw her laughing at customer's jokes, sometimes genuinely, and she seemed to enjoy participating in the Turks' banter. She seemed particularly good at picking on Reno. Rude loved watching his partner get put in his place, and Reno found himself enjoying that as well.

Tifa was still struggling with her opinion of the Turks, but couldn't say she truly hated them anymore. She hated what they had done back in Sector 7, for sure, but she could no longer hate them after months of getting to know them. She didn't know when it had actually happened, but at some point they stopped being her enemies. They were just two people trying to protect and contribute to the town, like her.

She just hoped her AVALANCHE friends could understand somehow.


	6. Obvious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Reno, we shouldn't." - Tifa Lockhart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue taken from Final Fantasy VII.

Tifa lay on the floor of her bar, her chest to the wood planks and her hands under her chin for support; her legs stretched out behind her. The bar was empty, except for her, Rude, and Reno.

Reno kneeled behind her and between her legs, his gaze transfixed on the wound on her upper thigh. It was not a place she had ever wanted him to be. He had already proven himself to be of ill-intent when he had commented on the color of her panties. She could only imagine what he was actually thinking about while in such close proximity to her nether region. She could feel his eyes boring into her even though she couldn't see him, and she knew his thoughts had to be impure. She could gag.

She flinched as Reno stitched her up, his hands pressing and pinching the sensitive skin of her thigh. She suddenly felt heat building in her abdomen based on where his hands were, and it frightened her. She bit her lower lip as she cursed herself for getting turned on by what was happening, and by Reno, of all people. This was the man who caused her so much grief, so much anguish, and had initiated most of her guilt. The only man to cause her more distress was Sephiroth who had killed her best friend, her father, and nearly killed her. But Sephiroth's actions were his own; Reno's actions were in response to something _she_ had done.

Reno tried to murder one-seventh of the population of the largest city on earth, and succeeded in killing two of her best friends. What would _they_ think if they could see her now, letting Reno touch her and get so close he could kill her? She shut her eyes tight, knowing that they could see her from heaven. She just hoped they understood.

As she continued to lie there, she noticed Reno's hand had started to travel further up her leg and away from the wound. His fingers tapped softly along her skin, first on the back of her thigh and then moving over to her inner thigh. His fingertips were just barely grazing her skin, but it was causing heat to pool in her abdomen. The butterflies seemed hungry.

She knew she needed to stop him, to spin around and kick him in the face for his transgression, but she had to admit his delicate touch was enticing.

"Reno…" she cooed in a tone that surprised even herself.

She heard herself moan slightly as his hand reached the hem of her miniskirt and lingered for a moment. His thumb traced the line of her skirt briefly before gently pressing against her skin to gain entry underneath.

 _No, this is wrong._ But damn did it feel good, and it had been too long since she had felt a man's touch.

She said nothing as his fingers continued their way up her leg, under her skirt, causing a shiver to run up her spine. Her heart began to beat faster as she felt his body hovering over her back, his face inches from her ear.

"Tell me how you want it," Reno whispered. It made goosebumps appear on Tifa's skin.

Before she could respond, she felt something under her skirt, poking at her panties – the tip of his cock. She was soon damp with anticipation and yearning, shocked at her willingness and newfound exhibitionism.

She looked at the door, knowing that at any moment Cloud could come home and they could resume their once happy family life. _Oh God_. She hadn't actually broken up with Cloud, had she? He had been gone four months without a single word, could she really consider him to still be her boyfriend?

She had only ever had eyes for him, and now she was cheating on him with one of his most hated adversaries. The worst part was that the idea of cheating turned her on _more_ at this particular moment. What she was doing was wrong, and Tifa had always tried to do what was right.

"Reno, we shouldn't," she whispered in a tone that had no assertiveness to it.

He didn't acknowledge that she had said anything. Instead, he moved his hands to her hips and pulled them sharply into the air as he sat up on his knees behind her. She looked around to find Rude watching, his arms folded across his chest and no look of concern on his face. Her eyes pleaded with him for help, but he didn't move. _Why isn't he helping me? Doesn't he have a crush on me? Why would he let Reno do this?_

A moment later, Reno was inside her. She couldn't remember how he got her panties off or when he removed his own pants and boxers. He was clearly taking her and wouldn't listen to her protests. She had never been so "bad" in her life, and she found it exhilarating.

With each thrust of his hips, Tifa felt her insides getting warmer. Cloud never treated her like this – like she was an object or a piece of meat. He had always treated her with love and respect, and it turned her on just as much.

But this, this _physical_ pleasure was too much for her to take. She knew she was getting close to releasing her own pleasure and found herself repeating the red-headed Turks name over and over again.

Before she could release, Tifa woke up to feel herself pulsing wildly. Her heart was racing, and she was drenched in sweat.

 _No. God, no,_ she said to herself as she realized what she had just dreamed - and what her mind had thought of in the dream. Never in a million years would she ever consider cheating on Cloud; and it would _never_ turn her on. It was just a stupid dream, but her dream self was right to question whether she could still consider Cloud her boyfriend when she hadn't heard from him in four months.

Tifa was no stranger to sex dreams, but she had _never_ had one about someone she had once found so odious. Usually such dreams were reserved for Cloud, or someone from her distant past. Once she had a particularly embarrassing one about a certain towheaded pilot from Rocket Town. It happened shortly after they had met the foul-mouthed spear wielder, and boy was _that_ day awkward.

She brought her hands up to her head as her body finally calmed down. It was just a dream. It didn't mean anything, and one couldn't control what they dreamed about. But now she couldn't get it out of her head. Reno had somehow burrowed into her brain, his sardonic grin mocking her without even knowing it. His features were taunting her. His spikey, flaming red hair; those intense, smoldering eyes that must have once been some sort of creepy hazel color (creepy in the sense that the color would clash with his pale skin and red hair) but now had a mako glow that made them appear aquamarine. Those tattoos under his eyes that always seemed to be laughing, even if he wasn't. His lips, always curled upward. His sense of humor and the way he could make her laugh even if he didn't say anything particularly funny.

 _No. No, no, no, no, no!_ She would not let a dream get the best of her. She was _not_ attracted to Reno, just like she was never attracted to Cid. So why did this feel different? Okay, so, she could admit he was objectively good looking without finding him attractive herself, right? Like that time Yuffie admitted she thought Sephiroth was hot even though he was insane and evil. Tifa and Aerith chastised her for the comment, but they could understand what she was saying. The three women had several conversations of a similar nature - not about Sephiroth, but other people they met along the way - as they traveled.

Tifa was only even _thinking_ this about Reno because she was so heartbroken over Cloud, she told herself, and was looking for a distraction and Reno, more than Rude, cheered her up with his comments and flirtations, even if she knew it was just an act he put on.

She hated that she would spend the rest of the day thinking about Reno in this new light. He may not be the same threat he once was, but he was still a Turk and still one of the men who murdered her friends in Sector 7. He may not have been the one who pushed the final button, but he started the process. His regret and everything he has done to atone since didn't matter. Tifa was just starting to accept the idea that she saw the Turks as _acquaintances_ , she would never be ready to accept one as a crush.

She spent her atypically long shower daydreaming; reliving the dream from the night before. She just couldn't get it out of her head. Cloud hadn't touched her for six months before he finally left, and even though the dream was about someone she claimed to still despise, the intimate feelings it provided were welcome. She just tried to imagine Cloud in place of Reno.

"Tifa?" Marle asked while Tifa was helping at the orphanage.

She hadn't even realized she zoned out. She was standing in the backyard of the building, tilting a watering can forward onto some vegetable sprouts that were now overwatered. She immediately pulled the watering can away and blushed.

"I'm sorry."

"You okay?" Marle asked. "You've been pretty distant today."

Tifa turned her head to hide her face as she turned a deeper shade of red.

"It's nothing, Marle," she lied. "Just out of it today, I guess."

Marle regarded her suspiciously and lingered to watch a moment more. Tifa tried harder to pay attention to what she was doing, but her thoughts kept wafting back to that dream. She wished she could kick her brain for putting these thoughts in her head.

"Well, let me know if you need anything," Marle knew enough about Tifa's moods to know when she needed to talk and when she needed to be left alone. This was one of those latter times. If Tifa wanted to talk about something, she would.

When it was time for Tifa to continue on with her errands, Marle placed a hand on either of the younger woman's shoulders and stared into her eyes.

"If you need anything, you'll call, right?" she asked.

Tifa nodded with a slight smile. Her stupid dream was causing Marle to pity her. Stupid Reno.

Tifa headed to the theater, trying to push the dream from her head, but it kept cropping back up. Suddenly she found herself not just thinking about the dream, but some of her other interactions with Reno as well. She knew how he treated other women and told herself he wasn't treating her any differently; he was just a flirtatious person. _Rude_ actually liked her, but Reno, if anything, would only want her for her body. It was these thoughts that finally allowed her to concentrate on some of the plywood she was helping to cut at the theater. Remembering what she hated about Reno allowed her to push the dream out of her mind and focus on construction.

She still prayed he wouldn't come to the bar that night.

* * *

Elena knew.

She wasn't the most clandestine of the Turks, but her ability to quickly and accurately assess subtle nuances in behavior to gain insight into her targets was unmatched. It's why she had been promoted as a Turk despite her big mouth and inability to control her emotions.

Even Tseng was impressed with her skills, having figured out she was more astute than either he or Rude during a particularly humbling game of poker.

Elena had started at Shinra years before Sephiroth's return and Meteor with the dream of one day getting promoted to the Turks. Her sister, Emma, was already a Turk, and Elena had been locked in an intense rivalry with her since they were kids. Emma, however, was older, so she always won. _She_ had a boyfriend first, _she_ got a job first, _she_ became a Turk first. Emma became a Turk before Elena even graduated from university, even though she went to classes year-round to try and graduate sooner. Soon after graduation, Elena was hired by Shinra full-time and was on track to someday become a Turk, she hoped.

During her first week as an employee, she developed a little crush on Reno after seeing him stroll through the building with a confidence that told her and every other woman in the company that he had been there and knew exactly what he was doing. She quickly realized that most female employees – and even some of the men – had developed an attraction for the fiery redhead. When he'd walk by, with his shirt unbuttoned and that cocky grin displayed with a wink at any woman he passed, the women swooned. Elena, being so young, couldn't help but get caught up in his masculine aura.

Within months, however, Elena was bombarded with rumors and gossip about Reno's womanizing that made her rethink her crush and even see him as potentially diseased. Plus, she learned that Emma had slept with him. Emma beat her once again, Elena stewed, until she found out Reno never called her back. It made her like Reno slightly more at the time, since he hurt her rival, but her crush was as good as dead.

She decided to focus on his work attitude, since she did want to be his coworker someday. She figured it would be a bad idea to despise a coworker, though having a crush on a superior didn't seem like a good idea either. Still, after several years with the company, Elena had developed feelings for someone else – Tseng.

Tseng was handsome, stoic, mysterious. He showed Elena that Turks didn't have to be brutal killers all the time. She felt like she had developed some deep connection with him when he told her that he had allowed Aerith to avoid capture for the past decade despite his orders.

She had been talking to him about her desire to be a Turk, which he only knew about because she blurted it out at him one day when he asked why she had been staring at him. She felt it was better to say that than to tell him she was in love with him.

Elena first suspected Reno had a secret during their first mission together in Gongaga after he Rude had fought AVALANCHE atop the Sector 7 pillar. She had overheard their little conversation about crushes and could swear she detected a hint of anger, hurt, and confusion in his response to Rude saying he liked Tifa. At the time, Elena placed the suspicion in the back of her mind and went about her business, silently cursing the men for discussing her crush on Tseng and _his_ affection for the Cetra girl. Later that evening, her suspicions about Reno would be heightened.

She had been out with Reno a few times before that mission. Tseng had introduced them over drinks to get her familiar with her new coworkers after she had become a Turk. Elena watched as Reno methodically entranced a different woman each night before eventually leaving with her while the rest of the Turks finished drinking. Each night, Reno took his time to romance the women, telling them things Elena wished Tseng would say to her. She saw Reno act as if he had just met the love of his life; the first woman he had ever been attracted to. She knew it was all lies, but she marveled at his ability to seem so sincere about it all.

After Reno and Rude fought AVALANCHE outside Gongaga, however, Reno seemed different. Elena knew he had fought Cloud, Tifa, and Nanaki, while the other members of AVALANCHE traveled separately.

The Turks met for drinks later that night. When Reno entered the bar, he didn't even stop to acknowledge her or Tseng. Instead, he eyed the first attractive woman he could find, walked right up to her and whispered something in her ear, and then ushered her to the back of the bar toward the rest rooms. Elena saw him pinch the woman's ass before they disappeared into a room in the back. She wasn't sure exactly how long he was gone – Tseng was drinking with them, after all – but she thought it must have been hours.

Elena suspected Reno's drastic change of behavior had something to do with the fight earlier but didn't want to make any assumptions about the exact reason. She hadn't seen him after his fight atop the pillar, so she had nothing to compare his actions to – that could just be how he acted after any major fight. Being new, she didn't want to ask Rude if Reno seemed off after their fight on the pillar. If her suspicions were wrong, she didn't want to spread rumors. At that time, Emma and about a dozen other former Turks were in hiding, leaving Elena as the only woman. She didn't want to fall into any gender stereotypes about being the office gossip.

During their vacation in Wutai, Elena had been shocked when Reno refused to fight Cloud and his friends. Reno had lifted his head initially when he saw Cloud Strife but lowered it after seeing Vincent and Aerith with him.

* * *

_"Y—you!? How did you get here…?" Elena asked when the three members of AVALANCHE walked toward their table at the Turtle's Paradise pub. She jumped to her feet and prepared to fight right there in the bar. "Never mind that. I guess it's fate that brought us together. Get ready to die!"_

_Cloud and his friends drew their weapons. Elena perhaps had a bit much to drink and nearly laughed when Aerith drew her "weapon" – an umbrella. The look on the woman's face, still so determined to fight, tickled Elena. But the boys didn't seem to notice or care._

_"… Elena, you talk too much," Reno scolded her, his gaze fixated on his drink. He was drunk, close to that fork in the road where he could either get into some serious debauchery or pass out. He veered toward debauchery when he saw Cloud stroll in, but now he was closing in on passing out. Reno was surprised to see the legendary Vincent Valentine with Cloud – but just for a moment. Reno had heard about Vincent and everything Hojo had done to him, everyone in the Turks knew about that, but no one had seen him in 30 years. It couldn't be a coincidence that Sephiroth had returned_ and _so had Valentine._

_Vincent was taller than Cloud, but Reno knew those AVALANCHE rats traveled in separate groups, but Cloud always had an entourage of two. His heart fluttered a moment – which at first, he thought might be a heart attack since he had never experienced such a feeling before – until he saw the Ancient bobbing along behind the two men. Reno sneered and returned to his drink, assuming Rude and Elena would follow his lead._

_"W—what?" Elena asked, shocked that Reno wasn't itching to kill these AVALANCHE bastards._

_"What are we doing way out here in the middle of nowhere?" the redhead asked as Cloud and his friends watched, their weapons still drawn._

_"We're taking our vacation and resting up from our work," Elena said, slumping her shoulders._

_She hadn't been a Turk for very long and hadn't even been in a fight with AVALANCHE yet. She was itching to get at them – especially Aerith._

_"Now our vacation is ruined," Reno replied._

_"B—but—" Elena stammered._

_"… even the booze tastes bad now," Rude added._

_As always, the two men had ganged up on her. She sighed and sat back down, mumbling "…sorry…"_

_Cloud and the others relaxed and put away their weapons as Reno and Rude tried to ignore them. Reno in particular was trying to get his mind off certain things; mainly the absence of Tifa. He was too drunk to leave the bar and go looking for her, even though he thought he might have a chance since Cloud was paling around with the Ancient. His legs weren't working anymore, however, so he decided to challenge Rude to a drinking contest instead._

_"Drink, Rude!" he cheered. "How long have we been a team…?" Reno was slurring his words as he downed another shot. About five shot glasses were already empty near him. "There have been hard times being a Turk, but all in all, I'm glad I did it," Reno continued, his inhibitions lowered enough to tell AVALANCHE what he really thought. "I even got to meet a bunch of wing nuts like you."_

_"To the Turks… To Reno… cheers!" Rude said, his face red from alcohol._

_They both had too much to drink that day. Elena was used to seeing them drunk, but not like that. Maybe they both were trying to forget something._

_Elena had thought that Reno was originally considering the prospect of fighting Cloud yet again but quickly decided against it. Based on the other nuggets of information she had stored in her brain, she suspected things might have been different if a certain someone had been traveling with Cloud at that particular moment._

* * *

It wasn't until after Rude and Reno fought Cloud, Yuffie, and Cid in the Gelnika that Elena was absolutely positive she had figured out the red-haired Turk. When she saw him after that – at a bar, of course – he picked up a woman with his charm, taking the entire night before asking her to leave with him.

The only difference between their fight in Gongaga, their vacation in Wutai, and the fight in the Gelnika was the absence of one woman: Tifa Lockhart.

After it all came together, Elena didn't even think she had uncovered some deep secret, as Reno hadn't been particularly subtle after the battle in Gongaga. Elena couldn't imagine that Rude and Tseng hadn't noticed, yet it seemed they hadn't.

Rude and Tseng were the ones that most embodied what it meant to be a Turk: quiet, ruthless, emotionless. Yet each of them let their love for a woman distract them from their jobs. Rude never hit Tifa in Gongaga, and Reno had teased him about it mercilessly afterward. It was another of the little things Elena had noticed. Reno seemed a little _too_ interested in teasing Rude about Tifa. Rude had mumbled something about Reno constantly putting her in a pyramid, but that didn't deter the redhead's teasing.

Tseng's love for Aerith – unfortunate as Elena found it – prevented him from doing anything to make her willingly return to Shinra years before she had teamed up with AVALANCHE. Had Tseng done his job earlier, so many things might have been different.

Elena now found herself sitting at a table in Seventh Heaven. Reno and Rude were here practically every night – and she knew why. They tried to drag her out each time, but she refused. She didn't enjoy sitting around watching men gawk at another woman; it made her feel undesirable. She especially hated that her coworkers were there to gawk at this _particular_ woman, whom they had all been ordered to kill several years ago. This woman, who stood against everything they worked so hard for, and who would gladly watch them all burn to death if she could, probably.

Her coworkers regaled her with stories from Seventh Heaven; about how Tifa didn't seem to hold ill-will against them anymore and how she even gave them free drinks once in a blue moon. Elena couldn't believe what she was hearing when they'd talk about the barmaid like she was their friend. Reno would prod Rude to ask her out now that she didn't hate them anymore and Rude would refuse. Elena wanted to tell them to shut up and forget about the busty brunette.

Elena hated Tifa. Hated how her coworkers fawned over her. Sure, Reno hid it well by picking up other women in the bar, but Elena knew. She hated how she was ignored if Tifa was in the room. She hated Tifa's thick, long, perfect hair. Her perfect legs. Her perfect breasts. Her perfect face. Elena sneered at the thought of the brunette bartender.

Elena didn't want to come to the bar that night, but Tseng had surprisingly accepted Rude and Reno's offer of free drinks. It was so rare when the boss agreed to join them – and this was the first time he ever agreed to go to Seventh Heaven – so Elena wasn't going to miss the ability to spend time with him outside of work. Elena was happy to have some company. Since Reno and Rude would be preoccupied, she would have Tseng all to herself.

Tifa had been shocked when Tseng entered her bar. She had been sure he died at the Temple of Ancients after Sephiroth stabbed him through the chest with his masamune blade. Aerith hadn't survived a similar attack. Cloud had survived it too, and it angered Tifa a little to know that the only person who seemed to lose their life to that freakin' sword happened to be her best female friend.

But it was now confirmed that Tifa _had_ seen Tseng at the hospital during Meteorfall. She and Cloud had been searching for patients floor by floor at the hospital when she heard sounds coming from a room with a light still on. She was just about through her usual speech when she realized she was looking at Reno, Rude, and Tseng. The three froze when she leaned into the room – Reno bending over to gather Tseng's clothes and Rude helping Tseng, who was halfway through getting off the bed. Before Tifa could say another word, Cloud pulled her away.

It also proved to Tifa once and for all that the rumors swirling through Edge over the past couple years about Rufus Shinra surviving Weapon's attack and running the company from some secret base somewhere.

Sure, Reno and Rude had all but confirmed it a couple months earlier, but she hadn't seen any evidence of it other than the fact that the Turks still traveled together. Reno had said months ago that they worked "security" now. He may have been telling the truth, but she wondered what he really meant by that. Did they really just patrol Edge alongside the cops, taking out fiends that threatened the town? She found that hard to believe, especially since they all still wore their Turk suits.

But she also knew that Reeve was receiving support from _someone_ or some corporation as he worked to develop Edge. Reeve was smart and ambitious, but Tifa had wondered if he were capable of true leadership over a prolonged period.

She carried a tray of drinks over to the table occupied by the Turks. Reno was several drinks in but showed little sign of inebriation. Rude was matching his partner drink-for-drink and Tseng and Elena were just receiving their second of the night. Tifa stood between Reno and Rude, who were seated closest to the bar with their backs to it. They were both trying their best to pretend they _weren't_ there to watch Tifa.

The barmaid leaned over the table to hand Tseng and Elena their drinks, unaware that Reno was making crude gestures and expressions behind her derriere. Elena glared at him as he did so, Tseng didn't seem to notice, and Rude remained his emotionless self. Reno knew when Rude was amused, though, and right now he knew Rude was fighting back laughter in his own way.

What none of the other Turks saw, however, was Reno's nimble fingers slip Tifa's PHS out of her back pocket and under the table, between his thighs. He planned on having a little fun with her later.

As Tifa turned back to her perch behind the bar, Reno grabbed her wrist and pulled her back so that she fell onto his lap. Perhaps he _was_ feeling some of the effects of alcohol. Tifa struggled to get up as Reno laughed. She was used to rowdy patrons making sudden moves on her, but today, of _all_ days, was not the day she needed Reno to pull a move like that. He had just come dangerously close to recreating part of her dream before she managed to stand up and adjust the hem of her skirt, hoping her face wasn't as red as she thought.

She gave his shoulder a hard shove before turning and briskly walking back to her bar as Reno continued to be amused with his own antics. He quieted down and took a sip of his drink, his lips still curled into a smile that he wouldn't be able to shake the rest of the night no matter how hard he tried. He held the glass in front of him with both hands and stared at the liquid inside as he settled down.

Elena knew. She knew why Reno was acting that way. He was like a little kid with a crush, teasing the object of his affection. Elena bet he pulled girls' pigtails when he was a kid, though she could never picture Reno as an actual child.

Reno knew what he was doing, too. What Reno didn't know – but that Elena also knew – was that Reno wasn't just acting this way because he desired Tifa physically. Elena had never seen Reno act this way over any other woman. This was the longest, slowest, _saddest_ pursuit Elena had ever seen from Reno. Literally, _years_ , and tonight was the first night he even physically flirted with her. Prior to that it was just the odd sexual remark. Elena chuckled to herself before pitying her colleague. Reno was fiercely loyal to Rude, so Elena knew why the redhead wasn't really pursuing Tifa. It almost pained her to watch, since she knew Rude was never going to make a move. The move Reno pulled tonight had to be an indication that it was getting harder for him to control his feelings.

Elena suspected the incident tonight had to do with Reno suturing one of Tifa's wounds the other day. He had returned to their new office in an odd mood. He seemed, flustered, for lack of a better word. He carried with him his trademark grin, but Elena saw through it. She could practically see his heart aflutter. Just as tonight, he was trying to wipe the smile from his face, but his pale skin couldn't hide his pink-tinted cheeks. She almost wanted to tease him about it, but she knew her attempts always somehow ended with Reno and Rude ganging up on _her_.

There was something else Elena noticed tonight. She hadn't been to Seventh Heaven that often, certainly not for a month or so, and she had previously sat with Reno and Rude at the bar. On those occasions, Tifa almost never looked over at them. She was a skilled bartender and knew how long it took particular types of drunks to finish their beverages. She would only look over in the Turks' direction when one of them needed a drink, and she never made eye contact. She would just look at their glasses. She would then walk over and take their glasses so she could provide them new drinks, without objection from them. Elena listened as Reno and Rude talked about how friendly she had become with them, but her previous interactions with the bartender made her skeptical of their claims.

Tonight was different. Tonight, Elena caught Tifa looking over at their table – at _Reno_ – throughout the night. Something had changed. Tifa had been predictably shocked and embarrassed when Reno pulled her onto his lap, but what he didn't see – what no one else at the table saw – was the look on Tifa's face in the brief moment as she turned her back to them.

Elena saw that Tifa's face was far too red. She wasn't angry, she was blushing. A smile formed on her lips as she turned and sauntered back to the bar. She walked with a slightly different gait than usual, like she was purposefully moving her hips more.

It clicked with Elena immediately. Tifa Lockhart, the woman who wished the Turks were dead. Tifa Lockhart, the woman who had _herself_ tried to kill Elena's coworkers. Tifa Lockhart, member of AVALANCHE, a group dedicated to destroying Elena's employer. Tifa Lockhart, sworn enemy, had a sex dream about Reno the night before.

Not only that, but Elena knew Tifa was struggling with something involving Reno now, due to the awkwardness of the bartender's actions. She didn't appear to be attempting to flirt, or if she was, she wasn't very good at it. Elena supposed Tifa never really had to develop such skills with the way she looked and due to the fact that the only man that ever seemed to hold her attention was completely oblivious but was also already in love with her.

Sometimes Elena hated her ability.

* * *

Reno returned home to his apartment and let out a deep sigh, tossing his keys on the console table to his left and running his hands through his hair to remove his goggles, placing them on the table as well.

Home wasn't what it used to be when the Turks lived in the Shinra building. Now he felt far away from his comrades even though they were in the same city. Reno had used some of the money in his old getaway bag to purchase a swanky apartment in the upscale north part of Edge once the town was built enough to have such a region. It was a risk to dip into his stash, but he had already repleted most of the money already. Even in its diminished capacity, Shinra paid well.

Rude, however, had purchased a more modest apartment in the east part of the city. Elena and Tseng each lived somewhere in between. Reno was used to being around his colleagues all the time, so even the distance between their homes made it seem like they had grown apart.

That was not what weighed heavily on him tonight, though. Tonight, his mind was elsewhere. He'd flirted with women before - many women, many times - but something about Tifa on his lap tonight didn't sit well with him. He'd pulled that move with other women at other bars before - when he was pursuing them - so it wasn't out of the ordinary for him. But he wasn't _pursuing_ Tifa.

He had buried his attraction to her for so long he couldn't even remember what it felt like, but since he and Rude had been going to her bar, those dormant feelings had re-emerged and he didn't like it. Rude was his best friend and had an actual crush on Tifa, yet Reno couldn't get her off his mind. He needed Rude to get over her, then he could either pursue her or hate her for hurting his friend. Preferably the latter.

He laid down on his bed feeling guilty for taking her phone and putting his number in. That was a step too far toward hurting Rude. He pulled out his phone and held it over his face, staring at her name in his contact list. Maybe he could flirt with her knowing he didn't have a chance. It might help him get past his desire - for her body, of course. Maybe if he flirted with her, she would start hating him again. That would certainly fix whatever it was that was clawing in his brain, like someone running a single nail down a chalkboard.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _This is going to hurt_.

* * *

The rest of the evening passed without another incident from the Turks. Tifa tried to avoid their table as much as she could and she definitely didn't stand next to Reno when she did take them new drinks. It had been a strange feeling with all four of them in the bar that night. She had gotten to know Reno and Rude pretty well over the past couple of months, but Elena looked like she still hated Tifa – and Tseng looked like he didn't want to be there. Four sets of eyes with very different looks in them. Reno, with his wandering eyes and antics. Rude, with quiet admiration. Elena, with jealous hatred. And Tseng, with unreadable disinterest.

Tifa flopped back on her bed after closing up the bar and cleaning up. She was exhausted and just wanted to go to sleep, hoping a certain red-haired Turk _wouldn't_ enter her dreams again. She had smiled to herself when he pulled her onto his lap, even though she was embarrassed and angered by his brazenness. She assumed he just wanted to fuck her; some of his comments made that clear, but his actions tonight were curious. Or maybe it was just because the dream was still on her mind. Why did he pick tonight to do this? Did he know? He was a Turk, could he sense what she had dreamed about?

She shuddered at the thought. She had gotten pretty close to them these past couple months but not close enough for them to know her darkest, most embarrassing thoughts.

As she closed her eyes to once again drift off to her memories, she heard her PHS vibrate on her nightstand. She snapped her eyes open and grabbed the device, thanking it for interrupting the impure thoughts she wished would disappear.

Her heart began to race, and butterflies formed in her stomach as she pulled the device to her, wondering if the message was from Cloud.

 _Cloud, remember him?_ She wanted this day to end so she could go back to hating Reno and dreaming about Cloud's return. He was the only man she wanted making her panties wet and pulling her onto his lap.

She flipped open the PHS and immediately sat up in a panic. If the message wasn't from Cloud, she at least thought it would be from one of her other friends checking in – most likely Yuffie – or asking if there was any change in the monster attacks. What she did _not_ expect was a message from this particular person; a person whose number she didn't even have in her phone but whose name now appeared on her screen:

"1 text message from Reno."

 _What the? How did he…?_ She thought back over the night. Reno must have stolen her phone and put his number in it, but when? Her PHS had been in her back pocket all night and she hadn't felt it move. It had to have happened when she delivered them drinks or when he pulled her onto his lap. _Hopefully_ that was what she felt between his legs when she landed on him.

_That sneaky little…_

She would kill him. This may not be "Turk shit" but it was pretty damn shitty. Stealing her phone to taunt her. So why wasn't she angrier? A nervous smile crossed her lips as she opened the message.

"So, how flexible ARE you?" it asked.

Yep, she was going to kill him.


	7. On Our Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You two are pathetic." - Elena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter shares some similarities with On The Way To A Smile: Case of Shinra.

"So, are you _ever_ gonna make your move?" Reno asked Rude as they patrolled the streets of Midgar.

"…"

Reno needed the brunette out of his head. The fastest way to do that was to get her with Rude or to get Rude over her. If he could get her to go out with Rude, it'd be much easier for him to stop thinking about her the way he currently was. In the meantime, he was in a losing battle with his own desires. He knew he shouldn't take her phone or text her, but he did it anyway. It was like his heart and fingers were working against his brain.

The Turks were walking down the main street of Edge – the one that led right out of the city. The sun was out as summer was in full swing, light shining down on them as they patrolled. They'd thought the heat would keep the monster attacks to a minimum, figuring even fiends would seek shade or cooler areas than a wide-open city. No such luck.

* * *

_After Meteor wreaked havoc on Midgar – and Shinra – the Turks banded together to formulate a plan. For a couple weeks after the calamity, they believed their boss had been killed and their employment ended. They didn't know what do next, as their lives had been consumed by taking care of Shinra's dirty work. Without dirty work to be done, what could they do? Find different careers, move apart, and blend into society like a bunch of filthy normal people?_

_They kept living in one of the dome relief tents to watch over Tseng as he recovered and they tried to figure out where to go from there. Reno was surprised when Reeve, begrudgingly, contacted them soon after Midgar was destroyed. They'd helped him during the calamity, but the antipathy between him and them was still present. Reeve said he was undertaking the development plan for a new city called Edge, and though he loathed the Turks as an organization, he needed their help to ensure the city streets were safe while he trained a citizen police force and raised funds for professionals._

_What Reno didn't know was that Reeve assumed he could get the Turks cheap, fearful as they were of having to live normal lives and work regular nine-to-five jobs._

_He was right._

_Part of the reason Reeve hated the Turks was because of their arrogance; their air of superiority. They knew they were untouchable so long as Rufus was around, so they walked the halls of the Shinra building as if they owned the place – especially after Rufus took control. Part of the reason Reeve needed the Turks was their fighting abilities and the fear they instilled in the average person, whether that person knew who they were or not. That was the other thing about the Turks; whether they were laughing or walking quietly or even passed out drunk, they carried with them an aura that they were not to be messed with._

_Reeve envisioned a more supportive police force in the future, but for now he would settle for what was cheap and available. If people knew the Turks were patrolling, he could keep the peace with just a few people while he built up the police department._

_In the beginning, Reno and Rude were able to split up, since the monsters inhabiting the plains around Midgar were weak. So weak, in fact, that the townspeople themselves could usually handle the creatures. Still, Reno and Rude were being paid and the work wasn't difficult._

_Reeve quickly began contracting them to return to Midgar proper and retrieve supplies, weapons, and equipment for the reconstruction effort. Most of it was stored in warehouses in Sector 5, but they occasionally needed to make trips into the old Shinra building._

_It was on one of those trips that they decided to climb up to Rufus' old office and have a look around. They planned to tell Reeve that the trip simply took longer than expected due to the damage; he was too busy to pay attention to how long they were gone anyway. So, Reno and Rude climbed the staircases they never had to take when the building was still in operation – the same staircases Cloud and his friends climbed on two occasions, though the Turks didn't know that. When they reached the 59th floor, they moved to the other main staircase, climbing over debris and breaking down doors as needed. Their keycards no longer worked, but the security system holding the doors sealed didn't work either, making said doors much easier to break down than if the power had still been on._

_When they opened the door to the 68th floor, they felt the rush of wind on their faces, reddening their cheeks as it whipped by at the high altitude. A giant hole had been blown in the side of the building, and the staircase was gone._

_Nearly defeated, the duo looked up for an alternate route, finding only one: A long steel I-beam that was bent, but not broken, and stretched between the two floors. It was precarious, as the beam was still nearly vertical and the walls and floor around was almost nonexistent. Just a small patch of flooring connected the beam to the rest of the floor, and the Turks could see miles of rubble hundreds of feet below them._

_Reno looked at Rude with red hair flailing wildly in the wind and whipping his face painfully, hoping his bald friend would have some other solution. Rude stared back with his impenetrable gaze behind dark-tinted sunglasses and said nothing. Reno looked back to the steel beam and took a deep breath._

_"Well, time to climb," he said, mostly to psych himself up._

_He reached around the beam and tried to shimmy up but didn't get very far due to its awkward shape. He next tried to stand in the cross-section of the "I" and place his legs against one side of the steel and his back against the other in an attempt to walk up the beam. He quickly fell on his ass with a string of curse words._

_Rude watched Reno's pitiful attempts with his arms folded across his chest. He was amused, but his face showed no such emotion._

_After watching Reno let out an agitated grunt as he ran toward the beam and tried to jump onto it as high as he could before attempting to shimmy up with a foot pressed against either side of the parallel steel, Rude decided to interfere. Reno was going to kill himself before he figured this out._

_He walked past Reno's form, which had fallen once again to the ground, and picked up a stray piece of cloth that had once been a curtain. He held onto one end of the cloth and threw the other around the beam. It took him three tries to catch the other end due to the wind, but once he did, he wrapped the ends around his wrists. He then leaned back and simply walked up the cross-section of the beam to the next floor, using the cloth to brace himself._

_Reno glared at his comrade from the floor below and found his own tattered curtain to use. When he caught up to Rude, he sneered._

_"That was my_ next _idea," he said._

_The stairs leading up to Rufus' office were destroyed on the right side, but the left set of stairs were largely intact and provided the Turks no difficulty in climbing. Rufus' office – if it could still be called that – was not a room that had survived Meteor. Some beams that had once held up walls still remained, as did a portion of the floor and the desk. Shards of glass littered the floor around the desk from the window that once provided an astonishing view of the world outside. Now that window existed only in bits, many of which had been blackened by Weapon's attack._

_In fact, there was an obvious trail of burnt debris, glass, and remaining building where the attack struck. Reno realized at once that no one could have survived up here, and he braced himself for what he was about to find. He slowly made his way to the desk, taking care to avoid the exposed electrical wires that were blowing about. Rude walked up on the other side of the room to cover the most ground._

_When Reno reached the desk, he noticed a distinct lack of Rufus – no bits, no pieces, no charred remains. He turned back to the direction he had come, considering the possibility that his former boss had been blown out the back of the office and down to the streets below._

_Reno looked at Rude in dismay, the gravity of what they had just found weighing on both of them. It was then that they simultaneously heard a rapping sound under the desk._

_Now that they had noticed it, they couldn't_ not _notice it, as it quickly became deafening. They both crouched down to look under the desk to find the source of the annoying sound._

_On the floor was a small, square piece of sheet metal – it couldn't be more than five-square-feet in size. It was bent at one corner and tapping against the desk, but it wasn't flying away. Reno reached to pick it up and found that it was attached to the floor with two hinges. He could see that below the piece of metal emanated a soft white light. As he inspected closer, he saw what appeared to be a tunnel._

_"Holy shit!" he exclaimed, bumping his head on the desk above him. Rubbing the crown of his head, he retreated from the area so that Rude could see for himself._

_"An escape hatch," the bald Turk said, as if he had known all along that it was there._

_"You knew about this?" Reno asked. His voice held the quality of a person who had just learned they were left out of a secret. Rude shook his head._

_"No," he said simply._

_"Where does it go?"_

_Rude shrugged._

_"Well, only one way to find out," and with that, Reno disappeared into the floor._

_Rude listened for a moment to Reno's screams. After the initial shock wore off, it appeared the red-headed Turk was_ enjoying _his fall into oblivion. Hearing no obvious agony, Rude decided he had given his partner enough time and eased himself down into the hatch._

_Rude had not expected the lights to go out so quickly, or for the drop to be so steep. True to form, he remained silent throughout the ordeal, letting out only the softest of grunts as the incline began to shift to a more pleasant degree and the shaft began to twist around and around, as if he were in a water park slide. He could no longer hear Reno's amused outbursts and wondered if he had just thrown himself to his death. He hadn't feared death, but he did have one regret: He had never asked out Tifa Lockhart._

_Rude saw a bright white light coming toward him at an uncomfortably fast speed. Yep, he was dying. Oh well._

_The bright light suddenly became all he saw for a brief moment before Reno's back suddenly appeared. Rude plowed into his partner feet first, and they were both thrown against a wall._

_"Fuck…" Reno said, staggering to his feet. Now his head_ and _back were in pain, and he had no clue where he was._

_Rude was the first to recover and assess his surroundings. They were in a small room with white plaster walls and not much else, except for… President Rufus Shinra sitting on a cot?_

_"Boss!" Rude said with more gusto than he had possibly ever exerted in his life._

_The word caused Reno to snap out of his stupor and spin around on his heel as if pulled by a string._

_"President!" he exclaimed before running to meet his employer._

_Rufus had woken up when Reno came flying from the hole in the wall but said nothing as he wondered why it took someone so long to find him. The first amusement he had in weeks came when Rude crashed into Reno and they both hit the wall._

_"It's about time," Rufus said impatiently._

_"We thought you were dead!" Reno offered._

_"No, just trapped in his room with a broken arm and dwindling supplies."_

_The three immediately realized that they were all trapped together now._

_"There's a pin-code lock on the door, but I can't figure out the combination," Rufus said, pointing with his good arm._

_Reno stretched his arms, interlocking his fingers to crack his knuckles and indicate he was ready to get down to business. Apparently, there was a generator somewhere that kept this door working when the others didn't. Must have been an extra safety precaution._

_"Leave it to me, boss," he said, strolling over to the lock like he already knew the combination._

_He tried a couple different strings of numbers before hitting the damned thing, which didn't work either._

_"My father must have built this before he died," Rufus said as Rude used the bedsheet for a makeshift sling._

_"Your dad, huh?" Reno asked, stroking his chin._

_He input another set of numbers. They didn't work. He tried a second combination and gasped in excitement as they all heard the distinct sound of the door mechanism unlocking. Rufus stood up quickly and was behind Reno in an instant._

_"What numbers did you push?"_

_"Your birthdate," Reno said, placing his hands behind his head in satisfaction._

_Rufus let out an agitated sigh. He could have kicked himself._

_"The absolute last combination I ever would have tried," he told the Turks._

_The next few months were spent at Healen Lodge with Rufus as he "recovered" from his ordeal of being cooped up in a bunker for a few weeks. Okay, so he was running out of food since the shelter wasn't meant for long-term living, but still. It wasn't like he was near death's door like so many other people were after Meteorfall._

_The fresh air and open spaces of Healen were hell for Reno. It gave him the same feeling that a claustrophobic person would experience in cramped spaces. The flowing waterfalls, the babbling brooks, the greenery – it all stifled the red-haired Turk. He grew up in Midgar, and even though it was a wasteland, he'd take garbage and metal and glass over the peaceful tranquility of Healen any day of the week._

_It was too quiet at Healen. All they did was sit around while Rufus did whatever he did to recover. Nurses were constantly entering and leaving his domicile, giving him unknown medical treatments while the Turks played on their phones or read magazines. Sometimes Rufus would dismiss them for the evening or weekend. Elena would go wherever Tseng went – and Tseng usually stayed closed to Rufus, but Reno and Rude would use the time to go back to Edge and help the rebuilding effort. They'd check in with Reeve to see if he needed anything from Old Midgar and then do what was needed._

_"Status report?" Rufus asked one day after a mineral bath._

_Reno stood quietly, having no clue what Rufus could mean. They hadn't had any missions and had been at Healen for weeks at that time, there wasn't anything to report. Thankfully, Tseng found something to say._

_"Sir. Reeve continues to build Edge," Tseng began. "The city is moving off mako power and onto oil and coal. The people are starting to heal."_

_"And what do they say of Shinra?" Rufus asked. Tseng cleared his throat nervously._

_"They're glad it's gone."_

_Rufus fell silent for a while, turning his back to the Turks and looking out the window of the large domed hut he inhabited at the lodge. He ran a hand through his hair to sweep back the errant lock of hair that always fell in front of his face._

_"Shinra needs to be part of the rebuilding effort. The people need to know that Shinra works for them now," he said, not looking at the Turks._

_"Sir?" Tseng asked._

_"I'll fund the reconstruction," Rufus said, spinning around to face the Turks again. "We'll keep it quiet at first, so the people accept the new city. Then we'll let them know that it was Shinra who rebuilt their lives."_

_None of the Turks said anything._

_"In the meantime," Rufus continued, "keep your ears to the ground for rumors about power brokers. I don't want anyone trying to leech off my work."_

_With Rufus alive, Reeve was no longer forced to carry the entire burden of Edge on his shoulders, freeing him to develop the town as he saw fit. With Shinra back in action, the Turks could resume their former lives, though Rufus asked them to still patrol the streets when they weren't on assignment, especially once the monster attacks became more regular._

_The other rehired Turks returned to their hometowns as remote employees, conducting clandestine missions and staying on the lookout for anti-Shinra syndicates. The former Midgar-based Turks – Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Elena – became Edge-based Turks. Since the monster attacks had increased, they were on edge, relegated to patrol duty rather than any of the fun "Turk shit" Reno promised Tifa they no longer participated in. He hadn't lied to her when he said it, as by then they really weren't conducting assassination missions. Well, Reno and Rude weren't, at least._

_It was now nearly two years since Rufus Shinra was discovered alive, and Edge had its own professional police force. Reno and Rude requested that if they were going to continue "keeping the peace" in their own way, they be allowed to focus on just one section of town. Luckily, the section they wanted was also the main road in town, making it appear as though they were hungry for work. Predictably, there was one notable feature of the main road: It contained a little bar called Seventh Heaven._

* * *

"Oh. My. GOD. Would _one_ of you make a move already so I can stop hearing about this?!" the shrill voice of Elena could be heard behind Rude and Reno.

With the police force handling the majority of the monster attacks elsewhere in the city, Tseng asked Elena to join Reno and Rude with their patrol, since the main road had become infested with monsters. It was now almost as dangerous to live in the city as it would be to live in the open plains nearby.

Rufus couldn't have that. Not in _his_ town. He had learned that the monster activity had heightened around the world, and he had been devising a way to get it under control. What that plan was, no one knew yet.

The two male Turks stopped dead in their tracks after Elena's exaggerated snipe. They turned to face her, with Rude giving Reno a suspicious stare down and Reno shrugging his shoulders to indicate he had no clue what she meant.

"What do you mean, _one_ of us?" Rude asked.

Elena realized that Rude _still_ didn't know that Reno had a crush on the same woman and decided it wouldn't be her place to inform him. Besides, it might be a _little_ fun to see the boys fight each other instead of always ganging up against her.

"I mean that I just want _someone_ to make a move on her so I can stop hearing about her all fucking day long!" Elena said, her hands on her hips and bending her shoulders toward the boys. They looked at each other again in confusion. Elena groaned.

"Ugh! All day it's 'are you gonna ask her out?' 'I'm waiting for the right time.' 'It's always the right time, yo'" she said, mimicking their voices for their parts of the conversation.

"I _am_ waiting for the right time," Rude said, sternly.

"Oh, come on!" Reno groaned, rolling his head along with his eyes. "She already knows you like her. Hell, everyone and their sister knows you like her! They overheard everything in Gongaga."

"…"

"What do you even see in her, anyway?" Elena interrupted, letting out all her pent-up frustration on the subject. "You do remember she's tried to kill us before, right?"

"Yeah but," Reno made a crude gesture with his hands to indicate Tifa's breast size.

Elena scoffed and looked at Rude.

"And you?"

"…" Rude was not one to describe his feelings.

"You two are pathetic."

Elena shoved her way through them and continued walking down the street in a huff. Rude gave Reno another suspicious glance as they turned to follow their blonde comrade.

* * *

Elena again found herself sitting in Seventh Heaven against her will. This time, Tseng didn't join them, and she settled in for a long night of being ignored. Why not just leave? She wanted to, but she also got the distinct impression that one of those two goons would make an attempt to woo the – in Elena's opinion – overrated barmaid. Should that happen, she might be in for a little amusement.

They were seated back at the bar. Reno was on his third scotch, as was Rude, and Elena had just ordered her second vodka soda. The men hadn't said a word yet. Reno sat with his back to the bar as usual, scanning the room for women. Elena watched closely as Reno's gaze would turn to Tifa whenever she was working the tables and had her back to him. When she was walking back toward the bar, the redhead would lock onto some unsuspecting woman elsewhere. Rude, as usual, faced the bar but buried himself in his alcohol.

Elena rolled her eyes. They really were pathetic. The blonde noticed Tifa was acting different than she had a week ago – the last time Elena was in the bar. Tifa wasn't sashaying her hips or constantly glancing over at Reno. Instead, she seemed to be trying to avoid him. Whenever their eyes met, Tifa would quickly look away with a frown. Elena narrowed her eyes. Tifa was avoiding her feelings, trying to suppress something. Elena didn't think she could really have developed a genuine crush on Reno, but she certainly seemed on edge.

"I'm gonna go for a smoke, yo," Reno said to no one in particular.

Without waiting for a response from Rude or Elena he slipped out the front door and removed a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket. He opened the pack and pulled out a cigarette with his teeth, reaching for his Shinra-branded lighter from his coat pocket. He held the filter with his teeth and flicked on the lighter, watching as a little puff of smoke exited the tip of the cigarette upon his first quick drag.

Tifa hadn't texted him back, which he expected – hoped for, actually. If he could prove to himself that he had no chance with her, maybe he could get over her. Or at least, that's what he thought at first. But since she hadn't texted back in a week and seemed to be avoiding him at the bar (it was subtle, but he noticed) it made him want her more. Maybe he just needed to _hear_ her turn him down?

Rude watched Reno leave, his eyes narrowing and his nostrils flaring just slightly. Reno was his best friend, but Rude was starting to suspect there was more to Elena's question earlier. What did she know that Rude didn't? Why did she demand "one" of them ask out Tifa?

A moment later, Tifa exited the back door of the bar carrying two large trash bags. She struggled with the awkward shape of them as she walked sideways down the narrow alley toward her trash containers. She set one of the bags down on the pavement and lifted the heavy lid with her hand, giving it a firm push to ensure it would open enough for the lid to rest upon the alley wall. She flung the other trash bag she was carrying into the carrier, then picked up the bag on the ground and deposited it as well.

"You never responded," a cool, silky voice whispered as she turned back toward the bar.

It was dark out, and she could see no one between her and door to her bar, as an outdoor lantern lit the area just outside her business. The sound came from behind her, too close for comfort.

She whipped around, ready to punch the owner of the voice, but her fist was quickly caught by his hand and pushed up against the alley wall. She was now backed up against said wall and feeling quite vulnerable. She knew it was Reno. She punched again anyway. As she did so, she was again surprised to find her hand caught and pushed above her. He now held both her hands in one of his own, large, calloused hands, his fingers long enough to nearly wrap around both her small wrists and push them up against the brick behind her.

They both looked at each other a moment, breathing heavily, noticing the tension of the situation. Reno's heart fluttered – he really hated that feeling. Tifa's chest was ever so lightly grazing his dress shirt as she breathed and he hoped there wasn't enough light in the alley for her to see that his chest and cheeks had turned red. Tifa felt heat in her cheeks, too, but quickly regained her composure and kicked Reno in the gut, sending him back against the other alley wall, which was only a couple feet away. He held his gut as she ran toward the back door of the bar.

Her survival instincts had kicked in, but so had his Turk instincts. This was not how he had planned this moment going.

"Geez, I forgot how hard you kicked," he said, still bent over.

"What the _hell_ , Reno?" Tifa yelled at him, whipping around from the door to face him. "Was this some Turk mission all along? You two were just nice to me until I let my guard down? Is Rude about to show up too?"

"Easy there, Lockhart. No trick. I just wanted to talk to you alone," Reno said, standing back up and staggering toward her, holding his hands up in defense. "Honest."

"Well, stalking me in a dark alley isn't the way to do that!'" she said darkly.

Reno laughed. "I'll remember that for next time. Old habits die hard, yo."

Tifa smirked, realizing that she wasn't actually in danger. Two years ago, yeah, this would have been a bad situation. But now? The Turks were friendly, and she didn't see them as a threat, even in a dark alley.

Tifa crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at Reno, shifting her weight to one leg. "So, what was so important you had to sneak up on me in an alley to say?"

Elena's words _had_ struck Reno, and he figured they had lit a fire under Rude as well. He knew how his best friend felt and that Rude _actually_ liked Tifa, but when he heard the back door open while he was out smoking his cigarette, he found himself moving toward her. He wanted to say it was against his will, that his legs just carried him without even thinking, but...

He rounded the corner just as she threw away the garbage and approached her, forgetting for a moment that she hadn't been infused with mako and therefore able to see relatively well in the dark.

He walked up to her now, close enough for her to detect the distinct odor of a masculine lothario. And cigarettes. The light from the lantern above the bar door illuminated his face, revealing that sly grin of his.

"Reno?" Tifa asked.

He hadn't answered. He felt like he might have well been a little kid holding a note that said, "Do you like me? Check yes/no." He realized now he wasn't getting out of this situation with his dignity in tact.

"You never responded," he said again, his voice a raspy whisper.

"How did you get my phone?" she asked angrily.

"I have my ways."

This made Tifa even more uneasy. She now kept her PHS locked behind the bar, along with any other personal items Reno might want to "borrow." She also spent the morning installing a new deadbolt lock on the door to her apartment. She didn't think Reno or Rude would actually do anything to her, but the experience reminded her that she lived alone now and needed to be more aware of her surroundings.

"What are you doing?" Tifa asked, shrugging her shoulders a little and narrowing her eyes.

Reno didn't know how to answer her question. What _was_ he doing? He had taken her phone to get her number and now he was alone with her in a dark, secluded alley. It would be hard to explain those actions as innocent to Rude if he were to find out. Reno scratched the back of his head. He needed to change the subject.

"You wanna tell me about your dream?" Reno asked, his icy blue eyes fixated on Tifa's own burgundy ones, as he regained his usual casual Turk demeanor.

In the glint of light shining down the alley, Reno saw her pupils dilate. He could nearly see his own upside-down reflection in them. A sly, toothy grin crossed his lips. She had just given herself away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, turning her face to look past him down the alley. She focused on a tuft of grass poking through the space between two slabs of concrete at the end of the alley, where it met the sidewalk beyond. It was one of those curious city things, how greenery always seemed to try its best to eke out a living in a world of concrete and glass and metal.

"Oh, I think you do, Lockhart," Reno cooed, his voice now smooth and oddly comforting. He stepped toward her, standing directly in front of her.

Tifa snapped her head to look into his eyes once again. Her pupils were still large, and she scanned his eyes to see if she could glean any information regarding how, exactly, he knew about her dream. Was he just bluffing? He _was_ a sneaky bastard.

"How…?" she heard herself ask, quickly placing her hands over her mouth to stop the word from escaping. It was certainly not what she meant to say, but there it was, out into the cool night air like the smoke from one of Reno's cigarettes, which she could smell on his breath.

Reno's smirk twitched wider.

"I didn't," he said, his smile widening as he leaned over to her ear. "But I do now."

With that, he pivoted and casually walked down the alley away from the bar and turned the corner. Tifa stared after him for a moment, processing what had just happened. Her breath caught in her chest and a shiver ran down her spine as she watched him walk away. She cursed herself, again, for that stupid dream. Her heart was racing, and her cheeks were flushed. He _knew_ about the dream. She was mortified, yet somehow relieved. Maybe now she could forget about the dream and stop looking at him like he _wasn't_ one of the men who destroyed Sector 7.

She composed herself and re-entered her bar.

As she came inside, Rude was waiting for her. She didn't realize this, thinking he just happened to be near the back door while heading to the public restrooms. She glided past him with an uneasiness she had not possessed since the Turks first started coming into her bar.

"Tifa?" Rude asked, causing her to stop abruptly.

"Oh no…" she trailed off. Rude's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, which Tifa could see above his sunglasses. She hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"Huh?" Rude asked. Tifa rubbed the bridge of her nose to release her aggravation.

"Oh, I'm sorry, that wasn't directed at you," she said, her voice pleasant even though she was clearly agitated. "I've just had a long day."

"Well, I'd like to try and make it better, if you'd go on a date with me," Rude offered.

Tifa looked at him in shock. She knew Rude liked her. Or at least, he did years ago while there were all chasing Sephiroth. But he had never said anything before, and she kind of thought he had maybe moved on – hoped that was the case, actually.

As she considered his proposition – she didn't want to lose him as a customer but she wasn't interested in him, given his lack of shown personality and _his_ role in Sector 7 – she saw Reno re-enter the bar. He gave her a wink and a roguish smirk before sitting back on his stool. Rude had his back to his coworkers, leaving him still unaware of what Reno had been doing.

"I'll… I'll think about it," Tifa said.

She thought she saw a hint of a smile on Rude's lips before he nodded with a short grunt and promptly returned to his friends. She watched a moment as he said something to his colleagues. Reno then slapped him on the back in celebration. Elena placed both her hands on Rude's right shoulder and gave him a hopeful little shake. Rude seemed to ignore them both and return to his drink.

"It's about _damn_ time!" Reno said.

If only Rude had asked out Tifa _five minutes_ earlier, then Reno could have avoided making an idiot of himself in the back alley. He had momentarily lost his cool around Lockhart, and he wanted it back. Now that Rude had asked her out, Reno figured he could go back to simply imagining Tifa naked occasionally (more than occasionally) but nothing more. This weird, annoying, _awful_ feeling in his chest would go away and he could concentrate on his partner and best _friend's_ happiness.

"Finally!" Elena cheered. "What'd she say?"

"She'll think about it," Rude replied, continuing to stare at his drink.

Reno winced. That wasn't the answer he needed from her. He needed her to say "yes" so that his partner could be happy. He also would have accepted her saying "no" so Rude could get over her. But "thinking about it" wasn't an answer and meant this torture would continue.

"She just needs more time to see the real you," he told his partner.

"Yeah, she's only accepted you guys for the past couple months, right?" Elena asked, more concern her in her voice than she meant.

"Maybe," Rude said, finishing the last of his drink and standing up to pay. "Think I'll head out."

"I'll walk with you," Elena said.

"I just ordered another drink, I'll catch you guys tomorrow," Reno said, giving Elena a knowing glance and a nod as she turned back to look at him suspiciously just before she and Rude disappeared out the door.

Reno clenched his teeth and swiveled back to the bar as Tifa came to collect his friends' tabs.

"You should give him a chance," Reno said to her as she counted the gil she had just picked up. "Rude's a good guy. The best of us, actually."

"What's with you all of a sudden?" Tifa snapped, stunning Reno.

"I, uh, what do you mean?" he stammered.

" _You_ take my phone. _You_ corner me in a dark alley. And now you're telling me to go out with your best friend?"

She had a way of making him feel about two feet tall. He squared his shoulders and lifted his chin, getting his confidence back.

"He's my best friend, Lockhart," he said, rising and reaching into his back pocket for a wad of gil. "I'd give up anything for him."

Before Tifa could ask what he meant, he was out the door.

She watched the door for a moment after he left, trying to decipher what he had just said. She thought he was showing interest in her – in some kind of clumsy Turk way. Maybe she had just read too much into it because of her dream. Reno was anything but clumsy around women, so why would she think that was the case?

But his words... "I'd give up anything for him," what did that mean? Was _she_ the thing to be given up? She shook her head. She didn't want to be having these thoughts. She didn't like Reno - or anyone else - in that way, she told herself. She supposed she was just still lonely and wanted to feel like _someone_ liked her. Yeah, that was it, she was just lonely. So why did she seem to _want_ Reno to like her?

And she didn't know what to do about Rude. He was a good customer, and becoming a kind of friend, but she didn't see him as anything more. She was also surprised to learn that he _still_ liked her after all this time. Him liking her at all had always surprised her, but the fact that he had held this flame for two years was astounding.

She closed up the bar later that evening and walked upstairs to her home, her steps heavier than usual. _Why won't Cloud just come back?_


	8. Lurking In The Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Slum justice." - Reno.

Reno fucked up – and he knew it. He let his sexual desire for Tifa cloud his judgement. Once he started flirting with her, he couldn't stop, and she noticed. He hadn't actually thought Rude would ever ask her out, so he thought his flirting was ultimately harmless.

But now that Rude _had_ asked out Tifa, Reno felt immensely guilty. But he also didn't know how to stop. Tifa was like an addiction he couldn't satisfy. When he wanted a cigarette, he had one. When he wanted booze, he'd go to a bar, or grab a bottle from his home or work desk, or, if all else failed, his emergency flask. But what could he do when what he wanted was something he couldn't have?

Tifa had mentioned his flirting the other night and he knew what that meant. He was in her head.

It was something he had done many, many times with women in the past. Sometimes, if he suspected a woman might be a bit too moral for him, he would plant the idea of himself in her head early in the night and let it marinate for a while. Then he would watch her reaction to determine whether he needed to choose another target or decide what course of action would work on that individual woman. He rarely had to change targets.

Elena wasn't the only one who noticed how awkward Tifa was the other night at the bar. Whenever he glanced back at the bar – he did like to look at her – he kept catching her gaze. She would quickly look away, clearly found out. When she would approach the table, she refused to make eye contact with Reno or even look in his direction at all, but she seemed to be trying to get his attention subconsciously.

Maybe it was his own wishful thinking or ego.

He figured he'd test his theory that she was behaving like someone who just had a sex dream by pulling her onto his lap. Okay, it wasn't entirely to test his theory; he did just want to feel her body against his for once, but his plan was successful. She didn't scowl or threaten him for his stunt, even though she did struggle to get away from him. When she shoved him after, it wasn't as hard or angry as it should have been coming from such a warrior. It seemed playful to him, like a teenager who had just been publicly embarrassed by her crush but secretly liked it. She may have well given him a light slap with an unserious "Oh, you."

Reno had planted the idea of him in her head, and he knew it was working. He didn't think it would actually work on Tifa Lockhart, but apparently, he was wrong. Every moment spent with Rude now was agony. Reno was an expert at hiding emotions other than anger, but he found himself struggling around his bald partner. On the one hand, he didn't want to hurt his best friend. On the other hand… could he possibly have a chance to sleep with Tifa?

She was the most unobtainable woman on the planet, in Reno's eyes. A former adversary, in love with the World's Hero, who was so famous and beautiful she couldn't possibly see the Turk as anything but an ant among men. He thought maybe he had walked into the only possible confluence of events to make her even remotely open to seeing him as something more than a Turk. Cloud was gone – more than four months now – and they were no longer adversaries. Maybe even almost friends. And he now knew her well enough to know that she didn't seem to look down on anyone, anywhere, for any reason. She was too good for him, yet she gave him the time of day.

Was _she_ playing _his_ game against him? No, of course not, he thought. She couldn't possibly know how to even play games with men's hearts. Not Tifa. Not pure, innocent, perfect Tifa. She probably did break a lot of hearts growing up, but never on purpose. Reno could imagine many men had loved her from afar, like Rude, only to be crushed by her devotion to Cloud Strife.

Reno and Rude patrolled the streets in near silence that day. For once, Reno didn't mind. He had one thing on his mind, and it was the one thing he couldn't tell his best friend, and Rude wasn't usually one to lead the conversation. With the streets clear and drinking time approaching, the two men stopped and turned to each other as they did every day before acknowledging where they were going.

"The bar?" Reno asked his partner. Rude folded his arms and grunted, considering the question – in sincerity, unlike his usual pretending.

"I think I'll give her another day to think…" the bald Turk said.

"Oh c'mon, it's been three days! You're not afraid of her now, are you?"

"No. I'm taking a page from your playbook."

Reno opened his mouth to object but realized Rude was doing exactly what he would do in this situation – except Reno never had to wait more than a few hours for a woman to make up her mind and he didn't actually _like_ the women he pursued. He instead placed his hands behind his head and blew air out of his mouth.

"Your call. Wanna drink somewhere else?" he asked, a strange feeling in his chest. They had been drinking at a different bar each night they didn't make the pilgrimage to Seventh Heaven.

Rude continued to consider the question, turning slightly and bringing a hand up to his chin.

"Think I'll take the night off," he said, to Reno's surprise.

"You're gonna sulk? She hasn't said no."

"She hasn't said yes, either."

"And she won't be able to say yes if you don't go to the bar."

"She can't say no, then, either."

"You're killing me."

"Sorry," Rude said before turning to walk toward his apartment.

Reno narrowed his eyes at his partner and watched him walk away. He considered following his friend and trying to get his mind off Tifa, but her bar was also calling him. Maybe he could satisfy his craving _and_ help his comrade.

"Tch," he said before Rude was out of his line of sight. Reno turned his head to look down the street toward Seventh Heaven. Maybe just one drink, to gauge where she was on the whole Rude-date thing.

He entered Seventh Heaven to find he was not the first customer of the evening. His usual seat at the bar was open, so he took it and waited patiently for service. Tifa had looked up when he entered – the chimes above the door made it impossible to sneak in – but she was taking orders at a rather large table. A familiar, rehearsed smile was his acknowledgment that she had seen him.

When she finally returned to the bar, she seemed more standoffish than she had in a long time. It was subtle, like she was trying to hide that something was bothering her, but he picked up on it. Maybe she had wanted to see Rude?

Tifa had been tending bar since she turned 18. Before that she had worked as a waitress and bar back to help Marle with the bills. In fact, she remembered her first night bartending. She was so nervous, she ran to the bar early to prepare and ran into someone on her way. She remembered thinking the person she ran into was the human equivalent of a tree trunk. She apologized quickly – a habit she still had from growing up in the sleepy town of Nibelheim – and rushed inside. She was frazzled in the beginning, pouring the wrong drinks and even dropping a tray, but she quickly fell into a rhythm.

After bartending four years, she was almost robotic in how she greeted customers just walking in the door. Her face muscles moved instinctively, without her even noticing. She'd snap her head toward the door the second she heard the chimes, the same smile on her face every time no matter who entered, or even if someone was leaving. It was uncontrollable.

So, when Reno entered, she gave him the same smile that everyone else received. She was relieved to see that he was alone, hoping she would get the evening off from Rude so she wouldn't have to let him down that night. She hadn't figured out how she would say it.

Yet, she wasn't thrilled to see Reno, either. She felt oddly rejected over the past couple days, after he told her to go out with Rude and then neither of them showing up. She didn't know why she felt rejected, she hadn't been wanting anything from Reno, nor had she really thought he was genuinely interested in her.

She thought it must have hurt simply because he seemed to have been flirting with her and then pulled back. It reminded her of Cloud – everything reminded her of Cloud – and how he pulled away. She apparently just couldn't read men.

She placed Reno's glass of scotch in front of him and didn't realize she had held the glass a split second too long until she felt his fingers brush against her own just as she was releasing the drink. She pulled her hand away abruptly, all the way to her chest, as if she had touched a hot stove.

"Someone's a bit on edge tonight," Reno said. Tifa looked at him, her cheeks containing a ghost of pink.

"Sorry, it's just…" she had no end for the sentence.

"… you were hoping Rude would be with me? I get it. He's a great guy," Reno replied, smirking. There was something hidden behind that smile though, it showed in his eyes. The smirk didn't reach them.

"He is," Tifa said in a tone that let Reno know exactly what her answer would be to his partner.

Tifa didn't spend much time around Reno for the next couple hours. It was a slow night and most of the customers were at the tables, so she didn't need to come back to the bar very often. He considered drinking faster just to be close to her, but he couldn't abuse alcohol like that.

Later into the evening, Tifa was bringing a tray of drinks to a table when the chatter at the table nearby picked up enough to alert Reno's heightened Turk senses. His attention had been drawn to that particular table a few times throughout the night, as it was occupied by a bunch of rowdy college students out drinking on a weeknight. Reno had considered hissing at them or giving a subtle Turk threat, but scolded himself for thinking like an old man. _Barely 30 and already wanting to tell people to get off my lawn_.

But this outburst perked him up. He spun his barstool around to see them riling up one of the young men at the table. They were across the bar, but Reno knew what they were doing and about to do.

Tifa was bending across the next table over to hand people their drinks. Her ass was far too close to the table of young men. Just as the one being dared reached out to grab a handful of her flesh, Reno was across the bar. Reno grabbed the younger man's wrist hard, stopping him just inches from Tifa's rump. The barmaid heard the sound of Reno shooting across the bar with his inhuman speed and turned to find the reason behind his sudden movement.

"Reno, let him go," she told him, seeing the pain on the young man's face.

Reno released his grip on the man's wrist. The youth snatched his hand back and rubbed his wrist gingerly, skin already red. His friends laughed, but he was not amused.

"Geez, when'd you get a new boyfriend, Tifa?" the man asked.

"Shut up and get out," she responded, pointing to the door and holding the now-empty tray to her chest, just in case he had any other ideas on his way out.

The young man apologized profusely, blamed too many beers, but ultimately left. Reno had seen Tifa throw out other guys who got too handsy. He knew she didn't need any help defending herself. Usually, however, the men were dealt with _after_ the offending action (she had several broken wrists under her belt), but for some reason Reno didn't want to watch someone else touch her. Granted, he was fully aware of the irony that not too long ago _he_ had been the offending customer.

"Were they good customers?" the redhead asked when he returned to his seat and Tifa refreshed his drink.

"They're college kids in Edge, what do you think?" she replied.

Reno chuckled for a moment before he remembered Tifa was _their_ age, not his. She should be acting just as stupid as they were, yet here she was, owner of her own business and savior of the planet. Reno knew what she had gone through in her life – it was all in her Shinra file – and he suddenly found himself angry that this beautiful creature didn't get the life she deserved. Well, okay, she got more a childhood than he did, but she should be at the table with those college punks, not serving them.

After most of the larger tables cleared and the bar quieted down, Tifa was washing some dishes in the sink, her back to Reno and the rest of her customers.

"What would you have done if it had been me?" he asked her. He'd been thinking about her potential reaction, given the way she had been acting these past couple weeks, but he hadn't meant to ask the question out loud.

"What do you mean?" she asked, continuing to wash a dish. Reno groaned. He was in too deep now.

"What would you have done if I had tried that move tonight?"

"You'd be leaving with a broken wrist, that's for sure," she said without missing a beat, like she knew all night he was going to ask that question.

"Good to know."

"Come to think of it," she said, rinsing her hands and turning the water off. She grabbed a towel to dry her hands and turned to Reno. "You did pull me onto your lap a while back, _and_ you stole my phone. Give me your hands, both of your wrists should already be broken."

She reached across the bar as if she were going to grab him. Reno pulled his hands off the bar and down to his lap – just in case she was serious.

"Slum justice," he said, trying to think of a way to drink without putting his hands back on the bar.

"I guess so."

"You know, I grew up in the slums," he said. It was the most personal thing he had ever told her about himself.

She rested her hands on the bar and straightened her back. She never really thought about where he grew up. She didn't take him for a plate kid or an outsider, like her; she just couldn't picture him as a child. He must have been a Holy terror.

"Oh yeah, which sector?" she asked.

He was surprised she asked. He figured she wouldn't care enough, still, to let him open up to her. Not that he was about to, it just felt right.

"Three."

Tifa whistled. Stunned, but with a hint of pride.

"I always heard that was one of the toughest slums, surprised anyone could survive it," she said.

"Oh yeah? Well, what slums did you grow up in?" he asked, knowing full well her life story.

"Seven, remember?"

"Yeah…" he walked into that one. "All slums were bad though, yanno."

"Sector 7 was rough when I first moved there, but Biggs and Wedge helped clean it up with the Neighborhood Watch," she explained before her eyes widened. "Oh! That reminds me, I need to call Wymer, he just got promoted."

"Who? What?" Reno said with just a hint disdain in his voice. Who was this other guy?

"Wymer led the Neighborhood Watch back in Sector 7. He joined the Edge Police Department and just made lieutenant."

"Oh."

"Sector 5 was also pretty nice as far as slums go," Tifa continued, not noticing his change in demeanor. "Aerith and her mom really helped out there. Sector 6 was a hellhole, mostly, but I always heard the other sectors were even worse."

"You never went to Sector 3?" Reno asked, regaining his interest in the conversation.

If Sector 6 was the place to find Shinra-sanctioned entertainment, Sector 3 was the filthier, darker, more dangerous version. The only women Reno met growing up were professional whores – not that he would ever tell Tifa that – and almost every man was in a gang. Those that weren't lived in fear of the gangs and the pimps.

"Oh, Gods no!" Tifa said, as if the answer should have been obvious. "I mean, the rumors made it sound really scary."

Reno couldn't argue with that. If a girl like Tifa had wandered into Sector 3… well, he didn't want to think where she would be right now if that had happened.

"Should have dropped the plate on Sector 3…" Reno mumbled.

"That's horrible, Reno," Tifa scolded, throwing the dish towel she had used to dry her hands down on the counter and walking away from him in a huff.

Reno took a sip of his drink without trying to stop her. The rumors she heard about Sector 3 probably made it sound like The Gold Saucer compared to what it actually was. He finished his scotch, determined not to travel further down memory lane.

Tifa returned to him, calmer than when she last left, and refilled his drink.

"You okay?" she asked. He waved her off and cracked a lopsided grin.

"Of course, yo," he said. "Can't get caught up in the past, yanno?"

Tifa nodded but didn't say anything else.

No one else bothered her the rest of the night, but he stayed until closing anyway, just in case. He remained at the bar even after the last patron left, yet Tifa didn't seem to mind. She didn't even pressure him to leave. Something about their previous conversation weighed on her. This Turk, this _monster_ , may have a backstory that explained his actions back then. Not only that, his usual lightheartedness appeared to dissipate when he spoke of his past.

Tifa didn't know if that was typical for him. Neither he nor Rude ever discussed heavy topics in her presence. She imagined they avoided the topic of their pasts for the same reason she did. She didn't push him to leave because it seemed like he just needed a little more time to sulk.

"Need some help?" he asked her as she gathered bottles and napkins off the tables.

She looked at him and blew a stray lock of hair from her face, thinking she had just misheard him.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Want some help? Closing up must take forever."

"Um, sure," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

It was the most mundane work Reno had ever done in his life, but he wasn't ready to go home yet. He pretended he was cleaning up a Shinra-related murder to get through it. This, however, surprised Tifa, as she was amazed at his cleaning skills. He knew what chemical to use for what substance, and what kind of cleaning material to use on what surface.

"Never figured you for a clean freak," she said as he scrubbed down a table.

"I can clean up when I have to, thankyouverymuch," he responded with mock arrogance. Tifa raised her hands in defense.

"Oh, excuse me."

"You think just cuz I'm a Turk I don't know how to do dishes?"

"I never said that," she replied, her tone lighter than it had been previously in the evening.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Lockhart."

"Tell me something, then."

He was taken aback by her question. He wasn't prepared, and he hated being unprepared. She couldn't possibly be interested in learning more about him, he thought.

"Uh, well," he scratched the back of his head. "Did you know I can dance?"

Tifa burst out laughing. "No way."

"A Turk has to be prepared for any situation."

"And dancing is one of those situations?"

"If you have to blend in to get close to a target, yes."

"I don't believe you."

"Well, maybe if you're good, I'll show you some day," he smirked. What was he doing? He was supposed to be helping _Rude_ , not feeding his addiction.

"I'll hold you to that, too," she said, placing her hands on her hips.

It was then Reno remembered he had a meeting with Rufus the next morning, which meant he was getting a real "Turk" assignment. He might very well be contracted to do some of that "Turk shit" he promised Tifa he didn't do anymore.

"Uh, we're about done here, right?" he asked.

She dropped her arms to her sides and looked at him, a little confused. Just like before, he seemed to be flirting with her, but his demeanor had suddenly changed. Did she just have this effect on men?

"Sure," she replied.

"This was fun, but I got a meetin' with the boss man tomorrow mornin', yo," he said.

"Of course. Thank you for helping tonight, Reno."

He nodded. "S'no problem, Lockhart." He then saluted lazily and headed for the door.

Tifa stared after him a moment. What the hell was _that_ about?

* * *

Birds chirped from a nearby tree as the morning sun rose above Edge. Dew still dappled the plants in the backyard of Marle's orphanage and the air was cool but thick.

Tifa felt the sun on the back of her neck, warming her skin as she cleared her mind and closed her eyes. She was leading the children through a series of Tai Chi poses to warm them up for today's lessons. She breathed in and opened her eyes as she moved to part the wild horse's mane, watching the children as they mimicked her movements. She continued through her poses, breathing in and out and giving the children tutorials on how to clear their mind.

When she was training or fighting, she could heed Master Zangan's words, but as soon as she was going about her typical day, her thoughts kept wandering. Right now, however, the only thoughts on her mind were calming; about her next move. She finished her 24-posture warmup and smiled at the children.

"You all did great," she said, her face as warm as the rising sun. "Today, we'll be working on our dodge rolls. You can't fight back if you don't dodge first."

When she finished teaching the kids, she sat with Marle at the older woman's kitchen table, sipping coffee with her legs crossed under the table. Tifa held the coffee mug with two hands, sipping peacefully. She always enjoyed this part of the day, when her mind was steady after her workout. As the days wore on, she'd always end up thinking about so many things she wished she could ignore, particularly her ongoing worrying about Cloud.

"Should I go to the Forgotten Capital to look for him?" she asked Marle.

"Sweetheart, if that little ninja friend of yours had her heart broken, would you tell _her_ to go look for the guy four months later?" Marle responded in a motherly tone.

Tifa sighed and took another sip of coffee. "I guess you're right."

"He's _fine_. He's just a jerk," Marle said. Tifa was past the breaking point enough to hear harsher words about Cloud. "He's strong. He can take care of himself. He'll come back if and when he wants to. There's no one after him anymore. He can't be poisoned by mako anymore."

Tifa told Marle everything. Well, almost everything.

"But he was in so much pain before he left," she argued, though not forcefully.

Marle groaned. "Honey, you have got to move on. I hate seeing you like this again."

"I know, I'm sorry Marle," Tifa said, lowering the mug to the table and looking down into what was left of her coffee. "I've been getting better, I promise."

"I know. Sometimes you even seem happy," Marle said with a laugh, leaning back in her chair and looking through the doorway to where the children were.

Tifa didn't know what to say. She knew what Marle was talking about. For some reason, Reno's flirting put her in a good mood, loathe as she was to admit that. Marle would ask her why she was in a good mood and she would quickly wipe the smile from her face. She couldn't be happy because a _Turk_ was giving her attention, she just couldn't.

"Are you ever going to tell me?" Marle asked.

"About what?" Tifa said after taking another sip of coffee, feigning ignorance. Marle scoffed.

"Tifa, when could you ever hide anything from me?"

"…Never."

"It's one of those Turks, isn't it?"

Marle _always_ knew.

Tifa nearly choked on her coffee and began coughing. She put the mug down before she dropped it and Marle leapt up to get her a glass of water. As she was pouring, the older woman smirked. She placed the glass in front of Tifa and sat back down, arching her back and raising her shoulders as she rested her chin on her fist in anticipation of Tifa's admission.

"I don't _like_ either of them, Marle," Tifa said. Marle chortled.

"So, you _didn't_ just choke on your coffee?" the older woman teased. Tifa scrunched her nose in mock annoyance.

"It's so annoying. He makes me smile and laugh. Sometimes I think about him during the day," she admitted. "I'm going to Hell, aren't I?"

Marle laughed. "We can't control our hearts, Tifa."

The younger woman groaned. She was so sick of talking about her love life, for lack of a better phrase. She and Marle talked about other things too, like how the bar or the children were doing. It's just that Marle was the only person she could tell anything without judgment. She didn't want to talk to Yuffie about these things, since Yuffie was so boy crazy she'd probably tell Tifa to go for it.

"A family is coming by today," Marle said after a pause in the conversation. Tifa perked up at this news.

"Oh? How did they sound?"

"They're a young couple who's been struggling for a while now to get pregnant. It sounded like they've given up," Marle said sullenly. "I think someone has a good chance to find a family today."

"That would be wonderful!" Tifa exclaimed, forgetting her own problems, thankfully. "Though I'm always sad to see someone go. I love these kids."

"Maybe you'll adopt someone of your own one day," Marle said. "Though I think you've pretty much adopted all of these kids."

Tifa chuckled and looked into the other room. The children were busy with their art projects. Tifa let out a breath and smiled as she watched the children at a moment.

"It's probably time I went to the theater," she said. Marle nodded.

"See you tomorrow?" Marle asked.

"As always," Tifa said as she walked out the front door.

She mentally kicked herself for telling Marle anything about the redheaded Turk that made her laugh every night. Saying it out loud made it real, and now someone in the world thought she had a crush. No, Marle didn't know _which_ Turk it was, but this was bad enough.

As Tifa walked to the theater, she decided she would not discuss this matter with Marle anymore. She wanted to just bury these feelings so deep they could never see the light of day again. There had to be ways to make her forget about Cloud that didn't involve sulking over some _other_ guy, especially not this particular guy.

* * *

Reno and Rude sat in the waiting room outside Rufus' new office, which was in a shiny new office space in downtown Edge. It wasn't as grand as the old Shinra HQ, but Rufus felt that if the company was going to rehabilitate itself after Meteorfall, it would have to rein in the luxury. At least for corporate matters. Salaries had returned to their usual grandeur as the company once again provided people with everything they needed: Equipment, vehicles, supplies, personal protection from monsters, whatever you needed, Shinra now sold.

Rufus also had some of the remote Turks scouring for new oil and coal deposits. The company had acquired some near Fort Condor, but Rufus was anxious to acquire more – and before anyone else could find them. If the world was moving off mako, Rufus wanted to be part of it. He had the Shinra scientists who still lived in Junon working on the underwater reactor to turn it into a deep-sea oil drill. No one but Rufus could afford such a switch, and he figured that if he could get to oil no one else could access, he could rule the world again.

Of course, the new Shinra building belied this goal. As the old building was built with looming black marble, intimidating from floor to ceiling, the new office was the exact opposite. The walls and floors in most places were white marble (the Shinra family seemed to just have an affinity for the material). Wood accented the marble and other stonework in a way that was modern and inviting. Now when people entered the Shinra building, they didn't want to leave. The old building was designed to strike fear in the hearts of visitors and would-be terrorists. It didn't do much for the morale of the workers, however.

The waiting room in which Reno and Rude now sat had wide, distressed wood panels placed horizontal along the entire wall, except for the large frosted glass doors that separated them from Rufus' office. They sat in posh, white leather chairs in front of an oblong wood coffee table. The receptionists' desk to their left was made of a simple maple wood with a frosted glass front similar to that of the doors. There were no windows, but a skylight above them bathed the room in a natural glow.

"The president will see you now," Rufus' receptionist informed them. She was a perky young woman who had, unfortunately for her, already hopped on the "Reno Train" shortly after she took the job about six months ago. She considered quitting, as he and the other Turks were frequently meeting with Rufus, but she resigned herself to pretending their encounter had never happened while secretly thinking her feigned indifference may lead him back to her. It wouldn't.

"Thanks, doll," Reno said with a half-hearted salute as he and Rude headed into Rufus' office. He didn't notice the woman try to hold back a smile.

"Reno, Rude, please, take a seat," Rufus said, motioning to the two leather chairs in front of his desk.

His new office was far less intimidating than his previous one, and far more modern. The room had a panoramic window along the back wall, and lines of paned windows on each side wall, giving the room a far more refreshing light than the seemingly endless night of the old Shinra building. It was still much too large a room for the limited furniture in it, though. Rufus' office took up the entire top floor of the building except for the receptionist's area out front, yet all that was inside was a desk and two chairs for guests.

Rufus' desk was made of a light birch wood, with a solid rectangle of wood containing drawers to his left and a glass-topped desk in front of him that was connected to the wood. The glass was raised in the back and to a lesser extent on the sides, with large metal bolts in the corners to fasten it to the wood underneath. Rufus couldn't say he liked the desk, since it lacked the splendor and intimidation of his father's (not to mention the escape hatch), but he understood the need to appear less imposing to the common people. Not that any commoners ever made it into Rufus' office, but he did invite the media in to interview him and photograph him in the new office enough to give such an impression.

Reno and Rude did as Rufus asked and sat down in front of their boss. They loved visiting the boss, and it could be seen plainly on their faces. Reno leaned back in his chair with his fingers intertwined behind his head, one foot resting on his opposite knee. Even Rude appeared to be glowing with anticipation, yet it wasn't obvious to anyone who didn't know him. To Reno, who had known Rude for about 14 years now, the bald Turk was practically beaming.

Why? Because whenever they were called into Rufus' office now, they were given a "Turk" assignment. Something with a challenge, something with danger, something with intrigue. They were excited, anything was more preferable to patrolling for fiends like a bunch of Shinra grunts.

"I've called you both here because I have a request."

The two Turks leaned forward in their seats, anticipation elevating their heartbeats.

"As you know, the world seems to be overrun with monsters," Rufus continued. "What I'd like is for you two to travel once again to the old Shinra building – to Hojo's lab."

Reno's anxious grin dissipated. He hadn't climbed that high in the old headquarters since the day they found Rufus, and he was not looking forward to making that trek again. Also, it wasn't dangerous, just tedious, as no monsters climbed that high. From what he remembered, there wasn't much of the lab left.

"I'd like you to look for any notes Professor Hojo may have left behind regarding Jenova, Meteor, the Lifestream, or anything related."

Reno and Rude looked at each other. While their faces were expressionless, they knew each other well enough to see that they were each confused by what Rufus was asking of them.

"Sir?" Reno asked first.

"I know this isn't a usual 'Turk' assignment, but there's more," Rufus continued. "After you've searched Hojo's lab on the 68th floor, I'd like you to travel into the Shinra basement, to Hojo's second lab."

"Second lab?" Reno asked, astonished.

He had worked at Shinra since he was 16 and heard numerous rumors about what was in the Shinra basement – mostly legends about prototype weapons and Hojo's horrific experiments – but he had never been. As far as he knew, Rude had never been either. But boy had he always wanted to see it. He and Rude had once tried to sneak down during a slow week. They managed to find a suspicious door that they thought must lead down to the basement, and they fooled the guards into leaving their posts with a simple ruse. (Reno sweet talked a couple female employees into coming onto the guards to lure them away. It worked, but each woman was angered to discover that they were not the only one Reno had spoken to about the distraction.)

Once behind the suspicious door, they headed down a set of stairs to a large vault door that required a key card. Thinking that, since they were Turks, they must have top-level clearance, Rude went ahead and swiped his key card, assuming that his card would draw less suspicion than Reno's.

Unfortunately, that was not the case, and an alarm immediately sounded. Within seconds, the two Turks were surrounded and brought to President Shinra's office. It was the closest they had ever come to being fired (even closer than the tainted-food-in-the-cafeteria prank).

Reno's excitement returned upon learning that he would finally be able to see what was in that basement.

"Yes, Hojo had a second lab in the Shinra basement," Rufus confirmed. "My father apparently never asked questions when it came to that man, and I suspect there may be any number of evils behind those doors – if it's still standing – as well as an untold amount of scientific information."

"What are you looking for, exactly?" Rude asked.

The Turks weren't used to asking questions, but he felt it would help them to narrow their search if they knew _why_ they were looking for this information. Rufus leaned forward over his desk and interlocked his fingers in front of his chin. It's how Tseng looked when he had important information to divulge.

"Shinra took a big hit politically due to Meteor, the Weapons, and Sephiroth," Rufus began. "I was hoping we could figure out what was behind the recent increase in monster activity and put a stop to it for the people."

Reno and Rude exchanged another look with each other and shrugged. Rufus could have said anything and they would have still been just as excited to go into the Shinra basement.

"You got it, boss," Reno said as the two Turks got up to leave.

"Oh, and Reno," Rufus said as they were nearly at the door. "Don't touch anything but Hojo's documents."

As soon as the door closed behind the two men, Reno dropped to the floor on his knees and raised his hands into the air in desperation.

"Whyyyyy?" he asked the heavens, before leaning forward onto his hands and punching the floor with his fist. "Why did he have to add that last part?"

Rude bent down to place a comforting hand on his comrade's shoulder.

"How would he know what we touched?" Rude asked, quiet enough so that the receptionist couldn't hear.

Reno looked up with him, his mouth open in an enthusiastic smile. He stood up and dusted himself off before motioning for Rude to follow him as he strutted out of the waiting room and then out of the building.

Upon exiting the building, Reno immediately took out his phone to send a text as he and Rude walked to their company car.

* * *

Tifa felt her PHS vibrate in her pocket as she held a couple of boards in place for the designated carpenter to nail them down. When he was finished, she removed her phone from her pocket and checked the message, still holding out hope that it would be from Cloud, even though she knew at this point that was probably impossible.

"1 text message from Reno."

Tifa rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. She hadn't responded to his first text and didn't plan to respond to this one either.

"Feel like dancing, babe?" his message said.

" _Babe?_ " she thought to herself, her eyebrows scrunching together and her lips tightening. " _BABE?_ "

She was nobody's _babe_. Not even Cloud would be able to get away with calling her that, though in all likelihood he would probably only receive a light-hearted punch in the arm and a giggle to show her displeasure.

And what about that "feel like dancing" business? He kept flirting with her, she was sure of it now, but he'd always stop abruptly. It was starting to annoy her. Now this text message was starting the cycle over again. Like they had plans. Like they were close enough to _make_ plans. Like she would ever even want to.

If she could reach through her phone to slap him, she would have. What was his game?

Fate seemed to be continuing its cruel joke, as Tifa actually found herself watching the door each time it opened to see if the red-headed Turk was entering. Each time the door opened and someone entered who did not possess that certain roguish charm, her rehearsed smile would turn into a frown, and then she would mentally chastise herself for even _wanting_ to see him.

He had done something to her. He had cast some spell – but not from any materia she was familiar with. She told herself it was just because of that sex dream and bad timing, probably mixed with him being the first man since Cloud to give her any attention. Wait, no, that wasn't true – she was hit on every night. She was a famous, attractive bartender after all. So, why did it feel like Reno was the only man giving her attention, especially when Rude literally asked her out?

His minor and inconsistent flirtations were sticking with her long after he had left. She started wondering if he actually liked her. If he did, she was flattered, but she doubted he was genuine. But if he _was_ genuine, then she felt special, given his proclivity toward womanizing. No, he couldn't possibly be genuine. He must be working his charms on her like one of his sluts, and Tifa was determined not to fall for it.

Still, it was nice to be pursued – if that's what he was doing.

God dammit, what _was_ he doing?

More importantly, why was it working on her?

She was confused and suspected that's what Reno wanted. It was getting her to think about him way too often, and now she was actually anxiously eager to see him again.

Neither Reno nor Rude came to the bar that night. In fact, Tifa wouldn't see or hear from them for the next week, the longest she had ever gone without contact with the Turks since her bar first opened.


	9. Lab Rat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You seem troubled." - Andrea Rhodea.

A sleek, matte black luxury sedan came to a halt on the street leading to the old Shinra building as the morning sun cast a blinding white glare over the husk of the office remains. The front bumper was wide and low to the ground, with a grill that took up nearly a third of the space. The slate-gray carbon hood contained a Shiva ornament at the front and slim panels that stretched down on either side of the grill. The head lights were narrow but powerful, with separate fog lights that were almost rectangular in shape.

The whole front end of the car was nearly as long as the cabin and trunk space combined. Harsh and industrial; it was a car that screamed government conspiracy. Four doors, with a brown leather interior and wooden dash panels. Every seat was heated, and the back seat was capable of reclining independently. In the middle of the dashboard was a large screen for the GPS and various other controls, including music, wi-fi, and a host of driving options. This particular model was almost always set in "sport" mode, as its owner cared little for traffic laws and speed limits.

It was surprisingly clean inside, except for a few discarded energy drink cans from that morning. One never knew when an attractive lady might need a ride. A gentleman's car must always be tidy.

Once the car stopped, settling back onto its large tires, the front two doors opened. A pair of black boots reached to the pavement below attached to legs clothed in expensive blue suit pants. The driver slowly exited the vehicle and turned to look up at the old Shinra building, leaning on the open door as he gazed up at his next destination. He hesitated a moment before closing the door, knowing he was in for an uncomfortable hike.

"I am _not_ looking forward to this," Reno moaned as he walked around the car and started toward the old headquarters. Rude said nothing, but followed his partner into the rubble.

They were greeted in front of the building by three ghosts. The creatures were no match for the two Turks, but it was odd that such monsters had reached the Shinra building, having previously preferred the train graveyard of Sector 7. Perhaps they were attracted by the hundreds of deaths that were caused when the building nearly collapsed.

Rude cast Firaga on the fiends, prompting them to retaliate with Reflect. That was Reno's cue to start firing his pistol while Rude did his best to punch the monsters before they'd disappear. One ghost vanished into the Lifestream, while the other two slashed at them. Reno knocked one upside the head with his EMR, using it as a baton to avoid being electrocuted by his own weapon.

When the final ghost was defeated, the two Turks looked at each other in confusion before turning to head for the side of the old Shinra building.

As they approached the door to the side stairwell, a rush of wind caused them to freeze and look over their shoulders. For a moment they thought they were just hearing things, but as soon as Reno tried to open the door, the wind passed in the opposite direction. He released the door handle and spun around, this time waiting to see what was taunting them.

It struck Rude first. He barely saw it coming until it was barreling over him. He was stomped beneath two mighty hooves but was spared by the tires, as they passed on either side of him once he was on the ground. Reno lunged at the eligor with his EMR, sending a shockwave through the rider's form. The creature turned back to Rude with Piercing Gaze, sending a laser beam directly into the bald Turk's chest. Rude was too stunned to move and found he was unable to cast any spells.

The eligor laughed and flew into the air above the Turks, circling and taunting them. Reno grunted and leapt into the air to swipe at the fiend again, bringing it crashing back to the ground. Reno used the eligor's momentary confusion to shock it with his mag rod, watching the shocks crackle and branch along the creature's body. It reared up in pain and disappeared back into the rubble of the city. Reno helped Rude to his feet and the two quickly ducked into the stairwell.

"What the hell?" Reno asked once the door was closed. Rude said nothing.

"There was nothing out there the last time we came here," Reno added. Again, Rude just looked at him without speaking.

Reno sighed and stood at the bottom of the stairs, craning his neck all the way back to look straight up and worrying what his car would look like when they finally left the building. All he could see was a flight of stairs above him, but he knew it was 59 floors before he would see anything other than a dingy metal stairwell. He closed his eyes as he mentally prepared himself for the climb. He cracked his neck on both sides and hopped up and down a couple times, shaking out his hands. He exhaled sharply and started to climb, Rude right behind him.

The first dozen or so flights were a breeze, but by the time Reno reached floor 15, he was already starting to slow down. Not much, but enough for him to think he had lost some of his youthful vigor. He remembered climbing these stairs almost two years ago – was it this difficult back then, too? He knew he had never wanted to climb them again, but he couldn't remember it hurting this much.

"I hate getting old," he said around floor 25.

Rude let out a short laugh that seemed choked by labored breaths. "Welcome to the club."

"Think we'll find anything in Hojo's lab?" the redhead asked on floor 37, trying to keep himself going.

"Maybe experiments," Rude offered.

Reno shuddered and kept climbing. Hojo had always creeped him out. He was reminded of what the former leader of the Turks, Veld, said to him after his final round of mako injections.

_Never come back here._

Reno and his fellow Turks had abided Veld's words.

They still had 20 floors to climb. Reno realized they had taken a break or two the last time they climbed these stairs. It _wasn't_ that he was two years younger back then, but this time he was trying to prove to himself that he hadn't lost a step.

"When this is over, _we_ ," Reno waved his hands between himself and Rude as they rounded the flight of stairs outside floor 42, "are going to Seventh Heaven."

"I suspect I'll need a shower first," Rude corrected.

"Good call."

They had slowed to a walk about 10 stories back. Reno's thighs were burning, and they still had a ways to go. He held on to the guard rail for support as he kept on trudging, Rude just a few steps behind.

"In retrospect…" Reno said between gasping breaths once they reached the 59th floor, "…a skyscraper… was a bad idea."

He wasn't out of shape by any means. They had been fighting monsters every day when they weren't on a special assignment. When they had come here last, they were energized by their determination to get closure on their former boss. This time, they not only knew what was in store for them physically, but also knew how boring and unlikely their findings would be. The odds of anything valuable remaining in Hojo's lab was minimal, considering what they had seen on their last adventure to the 68th floor.

They rested at the top of the stairwell for a minute. At least this area was still monster-free, as the doors were too heavy for fiends to open. The same couldn't be said for the main building. Just as they were about to stand up and continue, they heard a pounding on the other side of the door. They sure as hell weren't giving up, but they weren't looking forward to a fight after climbing so many stairs. Rude leaned against the door with his hand held up to give a countdown by fingers, ready to open the door and let Reno rush in with his EMR swinging.

The redhead laid out the unknown entity easily, but three more popped up in its place. The two Turks took care of those and looked around for more. The 59th floor was crawling with more of the monsters, along with fiends that shouldn't have been there, such as ghosts and cripshays. Luckily, the creatures were low level, but the sheer numbers of them made for an exhausting battle.

The Turks battled their way across the 59th floor and to the next set of staircases. As luck would have it, _something_ had destroyed the stairs up to the next floor, and there was nothing around they could use as a ladder.

"Great," Reno said sarcastically. He brought his thumb and index finger to rub the space between his eyebrows. "Now what?"

"Elevator shaft?" Rude suggested.

Reno closed his eyes in disgruntled contemplation. He knew that was their only option, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to it.

_The sooner we get through this, the sooner I can see her._

Rude took a deep breath before looking up into what remained of the glass elevator shaft. The cars had fallen to their doom, but the cables remained. He gave one a tug as Reno fought off some more creatures, then jumped onto it and began hoisting himself up. Reno held his mag rod out in an attempt to keep some more unknown entities at bay. He had backed himself to the edge of the elevator shaft as the fiends slashed and snapped at him in an attempt to attack.

The redheaded Turk knew he had to be quick. He stuck out his electrified weapon one more time to move the fiends back before twisting around and quickly grabbing onto the cable in an attempt to scramble up to the next floor, where he heard Rude already fighting more monsters. One of the unknown entities grabbed Reno's ankle and began to pull him back. The redhead slipped down the cable a few feet before he was able to kick the fiend in the head and clamber up to his partner.

"I haven't climbed a rope since grade school," Reno said as he pulled himself up onto the next floor. "Never thought I'd have to do it again."

Rude made only the slightest grunt in response, punching an unknown entity in the jaw and snapping its neck.

Reno loved his missions with Rude. While most might find the man's lack of response insulting, Reno had come to understand the subtle nuances of Rude's facial expressions. For example, most people would have thought Rude had no interest in Reno's comment about climbing a rope, but to the red-haired Turk, Rude's face and grunt were actually saying: "Neither did I. I _hated_ climbing ropes in school. I hoped I'd never have to do it again. The worst though was when everyone had to stay behind to wait for the slow kid to climb."

"Oh yeah, that was the _worst_ " Reno replied to Rude's silent response.

As Reno stood up to join his partner, he noticed that this floor, too, was crawling with fiends that shouldn't be here. A group of lesser drakes flew down toward them in an attempt to scratch with their back claws.

"Are you _kidding_ me?" Reno whined as he and Rude prepared for another battle.

Reno clicked a button on his mag rod to create three orbs of electrical energy that floated across what was left of the 60th floor, electrocuting some of the creatures that seemed drawn toward its captivating light. The two Turks, meanwhile, fought off the drakes on their way to the stairwell. Out of nowhere, several cerulean drakes joined the flying horde and swooped down to attack the Turks.

They were surrounded, and by the time they reached the refuge of the executive stairwell, their clothes were beginning to show wear and tear. Not to mention the sweat they had both worked up. Thankfully, even these stairwells were still empty.

The two Turks caught their breath on the 67th floor, since the staircase leading up was now just rubble and impossible to climb.

"This is insane. It was empty two years ago!" Reno said, leaning back on the floor after taking a bite of a prepared meal they had packed for a prolonged mission.

They hadn't expected so many monsters to have turned the old Shinra building into their home, but they were Turks, and Turks were prepared for anything.

"If this is the main building, I'm not hopeful for the basement," Reno said at the end of their break.

"Maybe they couldn't get in," Rude said, more hopeful than Reno was accustomed.

The 67th floor didn't offer much promise, but at least the damage had made it inhospitable to fiends. Much of the ceiling was gone, and the duo could look straight up to what remained of Rufus' old office. Some of the drakes from several floors below joined them, forcing the Turks to kill them rather than hold them back. As if on cue when the lesser and cerulean drakes fell, two rust drakes appeared. The Turks ran as fast as they could to avoid being pulled into its gravity orb, feeling their insides getting squished whenever they came too close.

Gravity had always been an odd spell. It could never kill someone, but the intense squeeze one felt from its pull sometimes made them wish they were dead. Reno's head throbbed as he finally broke free of its pull. Rude leapt into the air to deal a series of blows to one of the creatures, knocking it to the ground as Reno shot a bolt of lightning at the other. Rude tore the wing off the drake he had just grounded and snapped its neck beneath the heel of his boot.

The other drake struggled after an onslaught of electricity, falling to the ground in a daze as Reno rushed toward it and drove his mag rod into the creature's throat, finally killing it.

It was then the two Turks noticed something they hadn't paid attention to the last time they were in the building. While the 68th floor was destroyed, the 67th floor still had some walls and doors – including one leading to Hojo's lab. The Turks had bypassed the 67th floor last time since the staircase ended one floor up back then.

They cautiously approached the door that led to the rooms and hallways that made up Hojo's vast section of the building. Even though years had passed, they both still prepared for Hojo's lab to be completely intact somehow.

It wasn't, thankfully, but there was a fair bit left. Many of the walls were gone, and the hallway was littered with medical supplies and equipment that seemed ready to fly out the holes in the side of the building. The Turks carefully made their way through the area, looking for anything they could take back to Rufus.

They eventually found themselves in one of Hojo's numerous experiment rooms. There were no walls or ceiling in the room, and the glass containment tubes were all shattered, the glass long since blown away by the biting wind that whipped through the floor. One of the larger glass cells that once held "specimen" was also shattered. The glass that remained appeared to have been wiped clean.

The Turks shielded their eyes from the wind and made their way toward a short staircase that led to Hojo's private elevator. The two continued to look around the area before slowly working their way to the elevator on the far wall. Reno looked up into the shaft before dropping his head.

"Not again," he moaned.

He slapped his hands together and rubbed them before jumping onto the elevator cable and climbing up to the 68th floor without looking back. After he made his ascent, he pushed himself off the back wall of the shaft to get the momentum to jump backwards and onto the 68th floor. He stood up and dusted himself off before turning around to find Rude standing right in front of him.

"What the…?"

"Took the stairs," Rude responded.

Reno glared at him a moment before brushing past him to look across the metal bridge that connected them to the center of The Drum, where Jenova was previously kept. The alien's former container was – to their horror – completely clean. It looked as though some kind of forensic clean-up crew had scrubbed the containment device spotless. There was not a trace, not even a speck of blood or tissue, left of the alien life form.

"Hojo must have cleaned house before he hijacked the Sister Ray," Reno hypothesized.

"Probably," Rude agreed.

Reno looked around at the inside of The Drum. He had never been inside before and had only heard rumors about the horrors that were kept in here. Hojo was a man who referred to his experiments as his "toys," and regularly pitted them against each other. Whatever won would be used to create even more horrific abominations. The Drum was where it all happened.

"There" Rude said matter-of-factly as he pointed across The Drum to a door on the other side. "If we can make it through that door, we should be able to get into the areas where he kept his notes."

Reno nodded and began to walk along the catwalk that would connect them to the door. They were halfway across when the metal beneath their feet began to shake. They ran as fast as they could to reach the other side, but Reno was just a foot away from being able to grab the remaining ledge before the floor fell out beneath them. The two Turks plunged to the bottom of The Drum, landing on a mess of rubble and metal but somehow not breaking anything. They were disoriented, but mostly unhurt except for some bruises and scrapes.

"Fuck," Reno said, rubbing his right wrist, the same one that always gave him trouble.

When the redhead gathered his bearings, he looked around, noticing for the first time that they were surrounded by what appeared to be hundreds of broken specimen pods. Even worse, those specimen were now surrounding them, slowly approaching and looking as though they hadn't seen anything of the outside world for years.

The two Turks slowly got to their feet and readied their weapons. An untold number of unknown entities attacked them, thankfully weak from their years spent in The Drum. The Turks slowly killed off the horde, hoping that was all the creatures still alive in Hojo's lab. Somehow, they knew they wouldn't be so lucky.

They climbed up the rubble to find the entrance to Ward 1. The metal door was open and damaged from various creature attacks. Reno and Rude cautiously walked through it and into one of Hojo's battle arenas. A pride of zenene that had been sleeping on the opposite side lifted their heads at the intruders and immediately stood up to start walking toward the two men. They, too, appeared weakened from a prolonged stay in The Drum without whatever care Hojo provided.

At that moment both Turks shuddered, suddenly aware that the creatures still alive in here had survived by killing and eating each other. Reno and Rude must have looked mighty tasty to them. It was not surprising, then, that the zenenes approached the Turks while licking their chops like the starved creatures they were. They were hungry but appeared confused when they looked at Reno.

"I think they think you're related," Rude muttered as the beasts continued to advance.

"Har har," Reno responded.

Hojo's experiments were combinations of many lifeforms to create new species. Surely the mad doctor had a vial or two of Reno lying around when he created some of these monsters. No, Reno shook his head, best not to go down that line of thought.

One of the fiends lunged at Reno, its teeth going straight for the top of his head. Reno struggled to get the beast off him and preserve his hair while Rude battled a few others. A few jabs with the mag rod and the zenene released Reno, dying a little too easily. The others fell quickly as well.

"Okay, that was a little too easy," the redhead said as they dusted themselves off. Rude nodded in response.

They looked up at Hojo's viewing area. The reinforced glass still held and there was nothing in this room to climb to get to it. The two Turks traveled down a connecting hallway and up a flight of stairs to find themselves back in The Drum. The two men groaned and looked at each other.

"Let's climb," Rude said, pointing to some debris that could provide a way up to the next level. They climbed what they could and crossed catwalks that were still intact. At least everything mechanical in The Drum was no longer operational.

The two marveled at some of Shinra's old technology. They stepped over a long, thin machine lying on its side with brightly colored plating and sharp blades attached to its front. The whole thing looked like a fish that could seriously fuck someone up.

Reno recalled how Hojo had once spoke about "The Ancient and her friends" nearly dying in The Drum. Reno suspected the man was lying, given the fact that AVALANCHE survived without looking too beaten down. Still, he now looked around and imagined what it must have been like for Tifa trying to navigate this place. He grunted in an attempt to dismiss the thought. He didn't want to start thinking about her – not again, not while he was in The Drum.

They came to a dead end in front of the door to Ward 3. With nowhere else to go, they entered, quickly finding more zenenes lying around. The creatures seemed even sicker than the last batch, falling with just the slightest offense. The Turks made their way into a room lined with crates and broken, empty cages.

Most of the crates that had filled up the space were destroyed - but not from anything to do with Meteor, it seemed - and whatever had been inside the cages was destroyed or gone. Possibly ransacked or – Reno shuddered – whatever was in it left on its own two, or four, or six, feet. Who knows what was in those crates? This was Hojo, after all.

Reno spun around when he heard a crash on the other side of the room. Rude was standing right next to him and turned to face the sound as well. They heard growling before they could see the pack of bloodhounds. The Turks remembered these creatures. Rufus' pet, Dark Star, was an enhanced version of them and they could never forget how much the vice president talked about her.

"Maybe we could bring one back for Rufus?" Rude suggested. Reno chuckled, moving his back against Rude's as the bloodhounds surrounded them.

"Great idea, which one?" he asked quietly before the first beast attacked.

These creatures put up more of a fight than the zenenes, but they looked just as sickly. It didn't just appear to be starvation, either. The bloodhounds had nasty looking lesions on their bodies – not from attacks – but from some kind of disease.

"What the hell happened in here?" Reno asked. Rude shook his head.

The two found themselves again back out into The Drum.

"Damn, this place was better reinforced than the rest of the building," Reno commented as he looked for a way out.

"Ward 4," Rude said, pointing toward yet another door. Reno groaned.

"There better be a way into Hojo's private stash from there," the redhead whined.

There wasn't much to Ward 4, just some large pipes and ladders. They made their way through and back to the main husk of The Drum. At least this time they were near Hojo's elevator that led to the executive suites above. The two climbed the cables up to the next floor to find more of Hojo's lab.

"Paydirt," Reno said.

They were out of The Drum, but there was little left in this area to be of any use to Rufus. They found some note books and papers with the chocobo scratchings of a raving lunatic, but not much else.

"Well, this was a bust," Reno said, defeated.

Rude checked his partner's work before agreeing. The two looked at each other and a wicked grin appeared on both their faces.

"Basement time?" Rude asked.

"Basement time," Reno responded.

Had they been in some cheesy spy comedy, they would have leapt into the air for a high-five while a trumpet played a jazzy tune.

The excitement they held for finally getting to see what kind of treasures were locked in the Shinra basement quickly dissipated as they climbed the elevator cables up to what was left of the executive floor and then climbed back down the massive headquarters building using the cables in the executive elevators. They slid down the cables as far as they could go and then battled their way back into the main stairwell. When they finally reached the first floor, they collapsed, still letting out exhausted utterances about their forthcoming basement adventure.

* * *

The children at the orphanage improved each day as Tifa led them through lessons. She didn't think she could adequately carry on Zangan's legacy, but she knew the children would be able to defend themselves from bullies, at least. She remembered how hard Master Zangan trained her, as if she were fighting for her life. Tifa didn't think the orphans needed to defend their _lives_ in Edge, though she hadn't thought that either when she was a kid in Nibelheim.

True to her word, Tifa refused to say anything to Marle about Cloud or the Turks. It was the first time in a long while she could remember having a 100% pleasant conversation. Marle let her know that Oates had been adopted by the family who came by the other day. Marle had explained that Oates had a good heart but was shy, yet he seemed to be totally at ease with the couple who came by that day. Seeing him open up endeared him to them, and they fell in love with him quickly. The young boy wouldn't leave for his new family until the end of the week while the paperwork was being settled, but it was clear he was excited to no longer be an orphan.

Tifa next traveled to the theater and was surprised to find Andrea Rhodea looking around. He hadn't aged a day since Meteorfall, though Tifa never knew how old he was anyway. He stood with his weight on one hip, one arm folded across his chest and his other elbow resting on his hand as he scanned the theater.

"So, this is where you've been hiding," he said when he first noticed her nearby.

"I wouldn't call it hiding," she responded. He chuckled in his own way, somehow sounding fake and sincere at the same time.

"I might have to come by once it gets closer to opening," he said, watching some carpenters carrying planks of wood for the stage floor. "Perhaps I could be your opening act to draw attention."

"I think that would be nice," Tifa said, smiling. She didn't feel like correcting him at that moment; she didn't own this theater, she was merely helping to build it.

"You seem troubled," he said next. Tifa was taken aback. She thought she had gotten a handle on her emotions. She even thought she was in a good mood today, though it had been a confusing few days since either of the Turks graced her bar. "If you ever need to let off steam, let me know. Jules will always make room for us."

"Thank you, Andrea," Tifa responded politely. "I may take you up on that soon."

"Good. And tell your man when he gets back that I wish to speak with him." Andrea turned dramatically and sauntered out of the building, leaving Tifa to stare after him looking dumbfounded.

Andrea knew Cloud left? Why would he say "when he gets back"? She didn't think Andrea could know something about Cloud she didn't, but even still, his words gave her some hope.

* * *

Tifa stood with her back against the wall of a nearby building as a massive flock of levrikons ran past her, hooting and hissing as they travelled. When she saw an opening, she kicked out her leg to bring one of the creatures to the ground. It rolled several times to the side, causing a few more of the birds to trip over it. Those that were able to avoid the scuffle kept running; survival dictated they not stay behind to help their kind.

Tifa grabbed one of the birds by its head as it thrashed its mighty back legs in an attempt to get back up. She quickly snapped its long neck as the three others grappled amongst themselves. She had been fighting the beasts for about 20 minutes, suddenly realizing just how much help the Turks had been over the past few months as the monster encounters increased exponentially within the city.

She was not happy about it. Relying on the Turks was not something she had ever expected she would have to do, but without Cloud around…

The Midgar Police Department was fully functioning, but they couldn't be counted on like the other members of AVALANCHE or the Turks. The police only really made a difference if a large number showed up to overwhelm the enemies. She hadn't seen any nearby but didn't discount the notion that they could be battling the creatures further into the city.

Tifa never expected to _miss_ the Turks, particularly that weaselly one.

As the other three birds were scrambling to get up, Tifa grabbed two of their necks and knocked their heads together. She didn't have time to fight fair, she had to kill as many as she could as quickly as she could. The third bird managed to get to its feet and tried to run away, but Tifa squatted down and swept a leg under its feet to bring it down to the pavement again, before crushing its neck beneath her foot.

The stampede was still coming, and Tifa had to dodge several more levrikons in what seemed like an endless horde. She reached out to kick another, but it ran straight into her leg and kept on going, dragging the young fighter several feet before she finally lost her balance and fell to the ground. Before she could get up, another one slammed into her, knocking her back to the ground and causing her head to spin. This time she was able to jump back up and reorient herself, bringing her waiting fists in front of her face as she returned to her battle stance.

She studied the beasts for a moment as they whizzed past her, dodging when necessary. She could see ahead that they were spreading out within the city, turning at every crossroad they came across. The police department must in trouble. She rushed between the birds to get back to the buildings and out of their path. One pecked at her as she crossed in front of it, opening a gash in her side just as she reached the side of a building.

A shadow suddenly darkened the street, traveling in the opposite direction of the beasts. Tifa, pressed against a building to avoid the birds, looked up to see what had just passed overhead. If she were about to be attacked from above, she would surely have to retreat. She was a prize fighter, but she was just one person, and the levrikons numbers were taking a lot out of her.

She could see, as she shielded her eyes from the sun that cast an ethereal light around the figure above her, a large red cape and a pair of legs falling toward her.

Vincent Valentine landed right in front of her and stood up to meet Tifa's stare. The birds seemed to sense something deep within him and immediately began running around him. He said nothing, just stared at Tifa through crimson eyes as his long black hair hung limply over his red headband. His face was partially obscured by the collar of his cape, but Tifa could tell his expression was empty. He was looking at her, but it was more like he was looking _through_ her. His gaze sent a chill down her spine. During the time they traveled together, Tifa never could get a read on the former Turk who had spent 30 years sleeping in a coffin beneath the Shinra mansion in Nibelheim. He rarely spoke and if he did, it was to address the group, not anyone in particular.

The only time he ever said anything that made her think there were feelings inside that skull of his was after Cloud disappeared from the Northern Crater. Tifa had suddenly found herself as the leader of AVALANCHE, and she spoke to everyone on board the Highwind for advice and support. She expected words of encouragement from everyone but Vincent, yet the raven-haired ex-Turk surprised her.

"...So glad you're all right Tifa," he said then, his voice sounding sincere.

Now he stood before her with not even a hint of emotion. Their eyes locked for a brief moment, and then he turned and opened fire on the flock. Tifa felt her energy level rise with the knowledge that she was no longer alone and leapt onto the back of one of the levrikons. She grabbed the beast by the neck as it bucked and turned it sharply into another bird before leaping off and landing gracefully with one knee bent and the other leg outstretched to the side, her fist steadying herself on the pavement. Her head shot up and she ran into the flock, jumping toward a bird with a flying kick.

Vincent fired his Death Penalty to take down the beasts from a distance, feeling his anger rise within him as some of the birds ran into him, forced to as the street wasn't wide enough for too many to run side-by-side. As Tifa bounced off buildings to dodge birds and deliver dizzying blows, Vincent's form began to change. In an instant he was transformed into the Chaos beast, with wings and claws and fangs. With an ear-splitting shriek, Chaos flew through the center of the stampede and in the same direction, taking out birds seemingly at random.

A few minutes later, the flock was running the opposite direction, out of the city. Tifa had finally witnessed the end of the line from where she stood, and now they were coming for her once again. She dodged and kicked her way out of the street to catch her breath as the remaining birds retreated from the city.

A moment later, Vincent was in front of her again, looking just as he had when he first landed. It was as if he hadn't just been in a battle and hadn't just flown through the sky as some kind of winged demon. He didn't seem to be out of breath or even aware that a fight had taken place. He didn't address or acknowledge her at first, his gaze watching the levrikons run out of the city. Behind them, a large squad of riot police officers chased the beasts, holding their shields up to protect themselves and electrocuting the birds with their nightsticks. For a moment Tifa was reminded of Reno, but she quickly blinked the thought away.

She hadn't seen Vincent in years. She hadn't seen any member of AVALANCHE since the last time Yuffie visited shortly after Cloud left. She didn't care that Vincent eschewed human contact, she threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. Vincent did not reciprocate, but he didn't push her away, either. He grunted uncomfortably when she first embraced him, keeping his arms at his sides. It was the first human contact he had since Lucrecia more than 30 years ago.

Tifa released him and was again lost in his blood-red eyes, which were fixated on her; unmoving, unfeeling. She felt a little embarrassed that she had hugged him and he didn't respond since they were friends, but at least she could always count on the cold, emotionless response of Vincent Valentine.

"I need your help," he said after they stood in silence a few moments, sounding distant and withdrawn.


	10. Two Can Play This Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We can't let them get the glory of saving the world again." - Rufus Shinra.

"It's good to see you again, Vincent," Tifa said warmly, trying to break the silence that had fallen over them after their fight with the levrikons. Vincent had followed her into the bar without saying a word, even though she tried to make small talk with him as they walked.

They were now standing in her kitchen, upstairs from the bar. Tifa leaned back on her counter, while Vincent leaned over the island and faced her, tapping his metal fingers on the granite. Tifa had tried taking deep breaths to remind him that she was in the room, but she knew from experience that Vincent spoke when Vincent decided to speak.

After an agonizingly long couple of minutes, Vincent finally straightened his back to look at her.

"Where's Cloud?" he asked.

Tifa's shoulders slumped and she groaned. Did he really travel all the way here for Cloud? She didn't want to have to explain the situation to another person. Each time she did, she died a little inside. As the months had dragged on, her claims that he was just out for supplies rang hollow, and she hadn't told any member of AVALANCHE except Yuffie. She was herself beginning to doubt he was ever coming back.

"He's not here. He's been gone for over four months. I haven't heard from him. I don't know where he is or where he was going," she decided to answer all of his questions before he could ask them.

Vincent's expression didn't change; he merely stared at her, hardly blinking. Either he wasn't listening, or he didn't care.

"I'd like you to come with me to the Shinra mansion in Nibelheim," he said after a long pause.

"Why?"

"I think there may be information there regarding the recent increase in monster attacks around the world," Vincent said. "I'd like to check the laboratory in the basement."

"Why do you need Cloud?"

"I was hoping you would both be able to help. I tried going myself, but there are too many fiends to go alone."

Tifa stared at him a moment. She didn't want to go back to Nibelheim; too many bad memories, too many _good_ memories with Cloud. She was shocked to learn Vincent would admit to being unable to handle a situation on his own, however.

"Can someone else go with you? I'm kind of busy here by myself," she said, crossing her arms and looking away from him as he stared at her intently.

"No one knows that town or mansion better than you and Cloud."

"Cloud," she corrected. "I didn't go down there until the day we found you."

As children, Tifa and her friends would often talk about going into the abandoned mansion, but they never truly followed through. Every once in a while, the boys that followed her everywhere would dare each other to climb the fence in order to impress her. Once, one managed to squeeze through the bars and after a quick victory dance, ran back through the bars upon hearing an unsettling noise coming from inside the mansion. Tifa never knew it at the time, but Cloud informed her during a happier time in their relationship that he had once traveled into the mansion as a child to impress her, though he never told her about it because he fell down the stairs and broke his arm running from a ghirofelgo.

"Tifa, please," Vincent almost pleaded.

Tifa could have sworn she heard a faint trace of desperation in his voice. While Nibelheim wasn't her ideal destination, she thought it might be good to get out of town for a while. She knew that Cloud would never go back there, so she wouldn't have to worry about running into him. And it might be a good way to clear her head, since she had been thinking about Reno _way_ too much the past few days. He still hadn't texted her again or shown his face in the bar. It was getting to the point where she was considering texting _him_ something snarky like "guess this text was meant for some other girl" or something equally as snippy. She had smacked herself in the head each time she considered sending such a message.

Reno's company may have been welcome at this point, but the feelings she had about him were not.

"I'll go," she said, looking Vincent squarely in the eye. Her eyes were determined, unnerved even. The bar would survive a few days without her.

"Good," Vincent replied. "Let's head out."

"On foot?"

"Yes?"

"In case you haven't noticed, the monster population is out of control. There's no way we'll make it by foot," she explained, now wondering how he got to Edge without transportation.

Vincent groaned ever so softly, the most emotion he had shown all day.

"Fine, why don't you call Cid and see if he can help."

Tifa kept her smile, remembering Vincent didn't have a phone and wasn't a sociable person anyway. Even if he had a phone, he'd probably use it less than Cloud used his. The barmaid pulled out her own PHS and dialed Cid's number from her contacts list.

"Hey darlin', stayin' outta trouble?" the pilot asked when he answered.

"Mostly," Tifa responded. "Hey Cid… could you do me a _huge_ favor?"

Silence. For several seconds. Then came Cid's heavy sigh.

"Whatcha need?" he asked.

"Would you be able to fly Vincent and I to Nibelheim so we can search through the mansion basement for information about what's happening with the monsters around the world?"

" _What_?"

"Can you fly Vincent and I to Nibelheim?"

"Fine, but this ain't some damned air taxi business," Cid huffed. "I'll swing by later, gotta get to the ship first, and there's so many Goddamn fiends circlin' her."

The pilot hung up before Tifa could respond.

"I'll guess he'll get here when he gets here," she informed Vincent, who merely blinked in response.

Having access to the airship again made something spark in Tifa's mind. Something she had wanted to avoid, too afraid of the consequences and implications. Cid's tone let her know that any additional request would not be welcome, but Tifa decided in that moment that she would have to ask anyway – when they were face to face. Cid might find it more difficult to say no if he could see Tifa's worried expression.

* * *

"Aaaaaaiiiiiigggghhhaaaaaackkk," Reno howled during an exaggerated stretch and yawn, his whole body aching after sleeping on the cold metal floor of the stairwell. He managed to get _some_ sleep in between the sounds of fiends pounding on the nearby exit door.

The monsters sensed fresh blood. The two Turks thought it'd be quieter a few floors up, and even though they were so damn sick of stairs, they started walking back up, only to find that fiends were knocking on every one of the lower few floors – and they were _not_ traveling any higher.

"Looks like we made our presence known," Reno had said the night before, sinking down onto the landing and trying to find a comfortable position. He eventually fell asleep even as his mind raced with thoughts of the horrors he had seen in The Drum – and imaginations of Tifa. Unbeknownst to the redhead, Rude was also struggling to sleep while thinking about how Tifa would answer his offer of a date.

The bald Turk, naturally, was already awake and eating breakfast when Reno awoke. The redhead wondered if his friend had even slept. Not that he could blame him if he hadn't, they weren't exactly staying in a luxury suite at the Gold Saucer. Reno rubbed his lower back as he sat up and reached for some food.

"It's basement day!" he said once he was finally awake and had some food in his belly. Rude let out a subtle smile.

"Basement day," he repeated.

With renewed energy, the duo entered the main lobby of the Shinra building to find the door that led to the basement. To their surprise, creatures not native to Midgar had taken up residence in the lobby, though they seemed to be trying to get out of the back of the building. There was no door there, however, so they were just clawing and pounding on the back wall of the car showroom. A few ark dragons spotted the pair of Turks and rushed over with a shriek, which alerted other monsters. It seemed like creatures that usually inhabited Midgar, the Mythril Mines, and all the way down to Mideel were in the Shinra building. The Turks had to kill crawlers, hippogriffs, and even a few zemzeletts just to get across the lobby to the door Rufus had told them led to the basement. T

he refugee camp that had once been set up in the Shinra lobby was nothing but tattered cloth and debris. The glass throughout the car showroom was shattered, and claw marks on the wall made unreadable Reno's years-old spray-painted sign instructing people to take shelter from Meteor in the slums.

Had they not been fighting their way through a sea of fiends, they would have examined what was left of their old office building. The central receptionist desk had been uprooted from the floor, crushed and laying in pieces scattered throughout the surrounding area. How many front-desk receptionists had Reno slept with? At one point he knew the number, but eventually lost track. It wasn't his fault Shinra kept hiring attractive women to be the first company face seen by visitors.

They finally crossed the showroom and found the door Rufus had described, which was nowhere near the door they had once tried to go through. What was behind _that_ door? A mystery for another day, perhaps. They opened the door to the basement to find… more stairs.

"I never wanted to see stairs again," Reno whined before they once again traveled down a couple flights to reach the massive metal door that blocked the entrance to all the basement secrets. The door required a physical key as well as the combination to an ancient mechanism to unlock that only a handful of top employees knew – most of whom were dead. Whatever Shinra kept down there, they didn't want to leave it vulnerable to a power failure.

At the base of the door lay two skeletons, their clothes disintegrating due to time. The Turks carefully stepped over the bodies to unlock the door and pull it open. It was heavy, but it rolled along the floor and into the wall. Thankfully for them, there didn't seem to be any fiends down here – at least not that they had seen yet.

Beyond what was essentially a vault door lay, to the Turks' dismay, boring white hallways that stretched to the left, right, and forward. Plain white doors dotted the walls on either side with simple gray plastic room numbers on the walls beside them.

Rufus had given them specific instructions on what turns to make and what door to enter. He was adamant that they enter only that one door. Reno, of course, tried to open the first door they passed. He held his hand over the knob and licked his lips in anticipation, his fingers twitching as he prepared to open it. He dreamed of an arsenal of weapons he couldn't even begin to imagine, or hell, maybe a room filled with gil that he could swim through. When he finally grabbed the doorknob, he was surprised to find several thousand volts of electricity coursing through his veins. His limbs tensed as he shook in place, his hair standing on end and blue sparks traveling along his skin, crackling as if to laugh at him. He was no stranger to electrocution, given his choice of weapon, but it had been a while.

His clothes were singed, and his mane became even wilder than before, now showing the effects of static electricity as he released the door and staggered backwards.

"Hmm," Rude said, doing a surprisingly good job of holding back laughter. "The generator must still be working. The key Rufus gave us must remove the electric shock."

"Thanks for the exposition, Brainiac," Reno sputtered as his face continued to twitch. He tried to push his hair back into place, but every time he touched it he made the static worse. Rude waited for Reno to turn his back so he could snap a couple pictures with his phone. While Reno's trademark scarlet spikes had lost their shape, spread out like a hair dome atop his head, his ponytail resembled the tail of a panicked house cat.

The redhead staggered and twitched down the hall for a few steps, like a toddler first learning how to walk, before he started to regain his composure. Rude stood behind, biting his fist.

"I'm going to say they 'Reno-proofed' the basement," Rude called after him.

"Here's the damn door," Reno said while walking his hands along the wall for support as he moved down the hallway, stopping outside a door with a sign that read, simply: "B0604."

Rufus had given Rude strict instructions not to give Reno access to the key, so the bald Turk reached into his pocket and retrieved the item. Rufus also said this particular key only opened Hojo's basement lab, and after seeing Reno continue to twitch from head to toe, Rude decided not to press his luck by sticking the key into any other door locks.

The first thing the Turks noticed when they entered was the smell. It was unlike the stench of the fiends in the main building; this was something different. Clearly, the monsters that had been kept down here were different from those above ground, probably species unheard of in the natural world – they were also probably dead and rotting or fully rotted by now.

Hojo's second lab was surprisingly well organized, unlike the more well-known lab in the old headquarters. There were numerous desks with medical and lab equipment on them and filing cabinets lining one whole wall. Along the back wall sat several cages and a few more of those glass holding cells, all completely unscathed – and dark. The room was longer than the Turks expected, and the lights that did still work were dim. The lights over the back wall were completely out, preventing the Turks from clearly seeing what was back there, and a few in the middle of the room flickered with a low humming sound. There were also doors placed in seemingly random spaces along the wall, no doubt leading to a maze of experiment rooms and arenas just like upstairs. Reno wasn't about to touch _those_ door knobs, either.

As soon as Rude took a step toward the filing cabinets, the two turned abruptly to the back of the room, having heard a loud "stomp" coming from one of the holding cells. The duo looked at each other for a few moments before continuing toward the cabinets, listening for the sound again. Whatever made it remained quiet, for now.

"Well, time to get filing," Reno said, more cheerfully than Rude expected. The redhead stretched his arms in front of him and laced his fingers together, cracking them.

Rude nodded his head and the two started rifling through cabinets for any files that may assist Rufus. Glancing down the long role of filing cabinets, each with four drawers, Reno knew they were going to be here for a while.

He hadn't expected to be gone so long. He texted Tifa shortly before they left to prepare for this excursion. He had kind of hoped she would text back, even though he knew that was a long shot and would be crossing a line as far as his friendship with Rude. But they were just starting to go through the records in Hojo's secret lab. Who knew how many files would be relevant? They could be here a couple more days just going through the files. After all, it took Sephiroth nearly a week to go through Hojo's notes and the books in the basement of the Shinra manor. And depending on how much they found, they may need to make numerous lengthy trips to and from the car to transport it all. On top of all of that, he hadn't gotten to see what else was in the basement, rendering his enthusiasm for the mission null and void.

He wondered if Tifa missed him in his absence; he wondered if she missed Rude. He had certainly left her with something to think about. He tried again in vain to push her from his mind, as Rude was the one with the hopeless crush. Reno merely wanted to fuck her, he kept telling himself, and he could imagine her naked whenever he wanted.

He learned quickly that he would need to take frequent breaks to bust up the monotony of looking through Hojo's research. A pile of files and documents was started near the door, and it was beginning to get daunting. It seemed all Hojo studied was Jenova, and without the scientific background to decipher what was germane or not, the two Turks thought it best to just take anything even remotely related to the alien, the experiments Hojo conducted with its cells, and the Lifestream.

As they searched, an ever-present threat yet occasional pounding would resound from the back of the room. The Turks got used to the thumping, knowing that as long as they heard the same sound over and over again, whatever was causing it was contained. When they wouldn't hear it for a few hours, they'd get nervous, preparing to fight whatever was making the noise.

The noise became comforting after a while. It reminded them they were still in the basement and were not alone, but it broke up the long periods of reading and searching. They gave the sound a name, "Chester," and started giving it a backstory as they worked in an effort to stave off the crushing boredom breathing down their necks.

Chester, they decided, had once been a free roaming monster until Hojo's scientists captured it and began their experiments. Too hideous yet weak to be of use, he was left forgotten in the basement as Hojo moved on to other "toys." For all they knew, Hojo could have been here for years, before the Nibelheim incident.

Based on what Tseng and one of the rehired Turks – Shotgun, Reno called her since he couldn't remember her real name – had said of Nibelheim, Chester could very well have been salvaged from the Shinra manor. Reno and Rude had been elsewhere during the cleanup of Nibelheim, so only heard stories secondhand. The fire, the murders, Hojo ordering subordinates to salvage what they could – stretchers and equipment being carried _into_ the manor as the town was evacuated. Reno knew the story by now, having read numerous documents about the incident, but he imagined no one knew the full story given Shinra's coverup.

As they searched, the Turks faced an imminent problem: The intense smell emanating from the back of the room, which became more unbearable with each step they took toward the creature's cell.

Chester roared again. It was an unearthly shriek that rang in their ears for several seconds after, sounding almost like an unpleasant piano chord that echoed through the room.

"Oh, Chester," Reno said, shaking his head as he opened up another drawer after the ringing stopped.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed since they entered the basement lab. They took breaks to eat and explore the rest of the lab (the other wall had tables lined with small containers of various specimens) and of course to sleep when they were tired. If their sleep habits were in line with the surface time, they had been in the basement two days. At least they were nearing the last few cabinets.

Reno had done most of the exploring of the rest of the room, finding the files less than thrilling. He read the labels on every vial and specimen container, interested yet fearful of what he would find. He found several vials labeled "S-TYPE" and a few labeled "G-TYPE," along with one that said "GENESIS" on it. He didn't recognize the creatures in the smaller specimen containers that sat on the desk. They must have been dead fetus' preserved with formaldehyde, but of what, Reno couldn't tell, though at least one looked somewhat human. A shiver ran down his spine as he placed the canister back on the table and returned to the filing cabinets. Maybe the files weren't so bad after all.

Chester's growls and thrashings were more agitated and frequent as the Turks approached the final few filing cabinets, which were nearest to the darkened part of the lab. Reno knew he saw movement in the back of the room a few times when Chester thumped, but he couldn't determine what shape the creature was or even how big. Neither he nor Rude attempted to go into the shadowy area where Chester certainly lurked, worrying their proximity would cause him to go insane and possibly escape.

The pile of documents near the front of the door sat in multiple stacks, each several feet high. It would take a while to get it all into the back of Reno's car, and he dreaded the trips and monster attacks that would surely occur in between. He really just wanted to get the information delivered to Rufus so that _he_ could sift through it all. Reno wanted to get the hell out of here and away from Chester. It was better to think of the beast as some restrained animal from a distance than to learn what it was up close and personal. From the sound of it, Chester seemed like he was capable of doing some serious damage if unleashed.

Rude opened the first drawer on the last filing cabinet, with Reno looking over his shoulder. By now they both had their dress shirts pulled up over their noses to try to mitigate some of the stench, though Reno occasionally had to remove his so he could smoke. For once, Rude didn't mind the smell of the tobacco, since it somewhat mitigated the smell of death. Chester's jerking became more erratic than ever as the two Turks approached, however. Rude knew they didn't have much time left before the beast was thoroughly pissed off.

He was right. As if Chester had been waiting for his moment, he broke through the glass of his containment cell as soon as Rude closed the last drawer. They heard the crash of the glass, but then nothing for a moment. They froze, hoping whatever Chester was would only respond if they were moving. They soon heard what sounded like something wet and muscly scraping over the crushed glass. There were no footsteps, yet the glass shards tinkled and cracked beneath whatever moved atop them. It was as if something solid were being rolled over them at an even pace.

No beast came barreling toward them, as they expected. They gripped the last of the files for Rufus to their chests as they gingerly backed toward the door.

They hadn't gone far when a form stepped – or rather, scuttled? Hovered? Slithered? – out of the darkness and rose to loom over them. Even now, the creature couldn't adjust to its full height, as the ceiling was too low. Both Turks' jaws dropped open (Reno lost his cigarette, not even noticing that it burned his leg through one of the tears in his pants) as they looked at the lifeform before them.

It looked like one of the Jenova monsters, but it was mixed with other creatures. Its shoulders spread out into wide, asymmetric growths with seemingly random horns jutting out in several places. Its waist was narrow, its lower body wide and cone shaped, with hardened growths and tumors rising up from its base. Its head was long and narrow, coming to a small point in front of its own waist. It had a long face with two large fangs hanging out of its mouth, and the Turks could see it had small, sharp teeth that stretched far back into its head. Its eyes didn't blink and were narrowed down on the duo. It hissed and growled as drool fell from its mouth onto the floor. Small puffs of smoke rose out of the drops left behind, and the Turks continued to back away.

Several large tentacles unwrapped from its back and reached out toward the two men, its teeth snapping as it closed the space between them.

"…Chester?" Reno asked, as if he had just found out his puppy was rabid.

Chester let out an earth-shattering roar and Reno reached for his weapons while Rude readied his fists. Reno delivered the first blow with his EMR but was quickly swatted away by a tentacle. Rude threw a couple strong punches before his hands were disabled by two other tentacles. Chester pulled the bald-headed Turk toward him, bringing fangs within inches of Rude's face as he fought against his restraints. The more stoic Turk could feel hot spit on his skin that burned to the touch, and he winced. Chester cried out in pain as Reno drove his EMR into the creature's side while firing his pistol.

"Run!" the fire-haired Turk yelled.

If there was one advantage the duo had over Chester, it was speed. The Jenova mutant could only slide across the floor, using its tentacles to lash out at the Turks as they ran for the door. They had _planned_ on running out the door and living to fight another day, but the sight of the document pile stopped them in their tracks.

"Shit!" Reno said as he cut left to keep Chester from trashing Hojo's research.

Rude hung back a second to get behind the creature. This was not what they were used to fighting. These types of monsters were better left to AVALANCHE. At least if one of them died, Rude wouldn't feel shame – unless it was Tifa, of course. But it was just him and Reno now, and he didn't like their odds.

As Reno kited Chester around the front of the lab and away from the stack of papers, he grabbed every container he could along the opposite wall to throw at the thing. Canisters containing fiend and animal remains, beakers with unknown liquids, even staplers became projectiles as he ran. At least one of the beakers seemed to slow Chester down, but not for long.

Reno was approaching the dark end of the lab when Chester stopped and let out one of its ear-splitting screeches. Reno instinctively closed his eyes tight and held his hands over his ears to muffle the sound. When he opened his eyes, he saw tall, fat tentacles all over the room, rising from the floor. He didn't know how, but they were somehow all part of Chester. He tried to dodge between them but was grabbed by one, which wrapped around his chest and midsection and began to constrict Reno like he was a mouse caught in a snake's coil.

The redhead struggled against the beast as it became harder to breathe. He shifted the handle of his mag rod in his hand so that the weapon was pointing backwards toward the base of the tentacle that held him. Just as he began to feel lightheaded, he flicked his EMR on and shocked the tentacle, causing it to drop him to the ground. He dropped to a kneeling position and had only a second to catch his breath before two more tentacles reached out to smack him.

He looked around. More tentacles had sprung up and he couldn't even see Rude. Reno beat back tentacles with his mag rod while firing his pistol at others, trying to get away from Chester as it continued to advance.

Rude was fighting tentacles in the front of the room and getting nowhere as Chester stayed focused on Reno. Rude punched one tentacle multiple times and shot out his foot to kick another, but it wrapped around his ankle and threw him into the nearby wall. The bald Turk got up quickly, too quickly, and hit his head on something attached to the front wall of the lab, near the door. He stepped back to see what he had hit and for the first time paid attention to what it was. He'd glanced past it before as they were in the room, assuming it was just another fire extinguisher. Now, however, he noticed that above a cluttered desk, on the wall, was a glass container with a label on the front that read: "IN CASE OF BREAKOUT BREAK GLASS." Rude did as the label suggested, sending his foot through the glass while dodging another of Chester's tentacles, and removed a spiffy, unused, military-grade weapon.

"Thank you, Scarlet," Rude said to himself, patting the weapon gently. He flicked a switch to power up the massive gun he held in his hands. "Reno, get back here!"

Reno glanced over at his partner to see the mako-charged firearm drawing power. Tiny lights appeared to be getting sucked into the end of the barrel as a high-pitched squeal hummed it to life. The sound caught Chester's attention, and it turned its attention toward Rude.

Reno used the distraction to weave through the remaining tentacles. A pair reached for him and he slid beneath them on the tiled floor, one leg stretched out in front and the other bent beneath him. He jumped over the next tentacle that tried to grab him, twisted out of another's grasp, and finally caught up to his partner before Chester. Rude pulled the trigger once his sharp-tongued friend was at his side.

"Yeah! Kick it!" Reno shouted as the gun fired, leaving a smoldering hole right through Chester's middle.

The creature's upper body slumped backwards as foul-smelling smoke rose into the ceiling. The tentacles around the room immediately stopped moving and fell before they and Chester returned to the Lifestream in a large cloud of pyreflies. There was a ringing sound in the Turks' ears after the gun was fired, and they were certain by now that they had lost at least some of their hearing due to this mission.

Rude turned to his comrade to see the redhead trying to shout something, but all he saw was his lips moving. Rude pointed a finger at his ear and shook his head to indicate he couldn't hear anything. Reno started pointing at the documents and motioning with his hands as if he were carrying stacks of papers. Rude understood.

They each grabbed what they could carry of the information they had gathered and left the basement lab. Once outside in the hallway, they both dropped what they were carrying and gasped for air, realizing just how much they missed the smell of… well, nothing. The Shinra basement was stuffy with stale air, but it was far more preferable than what they had just been subjected to in Hojo's lab. Their hearing still muffled, the two picked up the documents and continued out of the basement.

They had nearly forgotten what they were in for when they opened the door to the old Shinra lobby. There were no fewer fiends this time around than the last time, and with their hands full, they didn't have much choice but to run with the occasional kick to keep a monster away. They ran into the side stairwell for a reprieve before heading outside to face whatever was lingering out there.

They were bloodied and bruised from their battle with Chester, but the adrenaline and desire to get the hell out of there carried them this far. Now that they weren't in immediate danger, they each noticed the other was in bad shape. Rude had lost his sunglasses – a sure sign something had gone wrong – and hadn't even grabbed a new pair from his jacket yet. He favored one leg and had small burn marks all over his face from Chester's spittle. Reno wasn't much better. One of his shoulders sat awkwardly, causing him to balance the drawer of documents in his other arm. It wasn't visible, but now that the adrenaline was gone he could feel a searing pain in his ribs.

Reno called Elena and Tseng once they had the first batch of papers into his car and his hearing returned - somewhat. There was no way they were going to make the trek back to the basement 10 more times, alone. A couple extra hands would be helpful now. They didn't have to let the other Turks into the basement (and they knew not to ask questions) but they were exhausted and wanted to get away from the decaying corpse of Chester.

"What happened to you two?" Elena asked when she saw her friends quickly staggering toward her, each carrying a large metal drawer full of files.

"Don't ask," Rude said as he handed her the drawer and turned to head back into the building. The blonde Turk cast a Cure spell on each of them to help them finish their mission. She and Tseng then fought the monsters as Reno and Rude made the lengthy trips to and from the basement.

"Rufus wanted to see you," Tseng told Reno and Rude as he loaded the last of the files into the backseat of his even more luxurious car. Reno had the RS-97. Tseng had the RS-100a with all the bells and whistles. But then, he was the leader of the Turks. "But before that, I'm having Elena take you to our new medical ward to get checked out and stay for observation. Who knows what you could have come into contact with in Hojo's lab."

Reno and Rude narrowed their eyes at Tseng and opened their mouths to say something. Rude couldn't find the words, but as always, Reno did.

"Is this payback for when we took care of you after the Temple?" he asked. It was two years ago, but they really had coddled Tseng against his will to make sure he would survive.

The corners of their boss' lips twitched upward.

Rude nodded in acknowledgement as he watched his boss drive away with a car full of documents. Elena then approached the drivers-side door of Reno's car and grinned mischievously.

"Look who has to rescue you two numbskulls _again_ ," she said, clearly enjoying the orders Tseng gave her. The two other Turks groaned loudly.

"We'll be out of that sick bay faster than you can get out of the room, so I'd watch the attitude," Reno said in a teasing tone. Elena laughed nervously. Reno and Rude were not above pranking her.

The three Turks got into Reno's car – the redhead sat up front even though Rude was taller.

"Oh my Gods, you guys _stink!_ " Elena complained as soon as the doors were closed.

"How do you know it's us and not you?" Reno snapped, wondering if the smell would linger in his car forever.

"Fuck you," Elena mumbled, unable to think of a better comeback. Reno smiled triumphantly and rested his hands behind his head.

Shinra's new infirmary was much more pleasant than the one in the old building, mainly because Hojo wasn't running it. There were plenty of doctors in the old sick bay, but Hojo had taken control at some point, meaning anyone who entered was subject to possible experimentation. The Turks learned to take care of their own injuries to avoid falling into Hojo's clutches.

The new infirmary didn't include any experimentation, but that didn't mean the Turks were any happier to be there. Reno had told Rude they would go to Seventh Heaven when they were done with the mission, and that's where he wanted to be right now. Instead, they were stripped and wearing flimsy hospital gowns while Shinra doctors poked and prodded them. At least the stench of Chester was gone. Neither wanted to enter Tifa's bar smelling like a death swamp.

The first thing Reno had done after getting clear of the old building was check his phone. Not a single text from her. That's what he expected, but something nagged at him; his chest felt heavy and hollow. Probably just another injury from Chester.

Rude, too, had wanted to go to Seventh Heaven. After the ordeal they had just gone through, seeing Tifa's pretty face was exactly what he wanted to lift his spirits, even if it meant she answered his date proposal in the negative. Alcohol and the woman of his dreams sounded pretty good right about now. He also thought she'd get a kick out of the pictures he had taken of an electrocuted Reno.

"Yeah, Tseng is definitely punishing us for the Temple," Rude said as he leaned back against the bed he was on. He had ointment on his face for the burns and his leg was propped up in a sling. Reno lay on a bed on the other side of the room, his arm in a sling and bandages around his chest underneath his hospital gown.

In the morning, tests came back negative for any unknown diseases, as expected. Rude's leg was still sore, but he could walk on it and promised to "take it easy" in order to get discharged. Reno's shoulder had been popped back into place, so he just needed some painkillers to get him through recovery. His cracked rib, however, slowed him down somewhat, though he was determined to get out of the sick bay with his partner.

The president of Shinra met them in the waiting room as soon as they arrived mid-morning. He seemed hurried and agitated.

"Come in," he said, quickly ushering Reno and Rude into his office.

He walked past them to stand behind his desk, as the sun's light illuminated his office in a foggy gray glow. It was one of those rare days where even though the clouds shrouded the sun in a gauzy haze, the gray sky was bright enough to require sunglasses.

"I've gotten word that some members of AVALANCHE are looking for the same information we are – in the Nibelheim mansion," Rufus said in a haughty tone. He leaned over his desk, supporting himself on his knuckles, and narrowed his eyes to shift his gaze from Reno to Rude. "Now, I know you have become friendly with some of them, but for the sake of your employer – and your employment – you can't let those sewer rats get their hands on anything useful."

Reno was surprised at Rufus' spiteful words. Rufus had previously mentioned wanting to atone for the sins of Shinra's past, so hating AVALANCHE didn't seem prudent. He must have known that members of AVALANCHE were helping to cull the monster herds around the world. Why was he so irritated?

"Boss?" Reno asked, tentatively.

"Shinra has to be the ones to solve this problem, not AVALANCHE," Rufus spewed. "We can't let them get the glory of saving the world again."

Rude nodded and stood up to leave.

"Do you know who's there?" Reno asked before heading out the door.

Rufus had settled back into his desk chair and taken out one of Hojo's files to flip through.

"The vampire and the barmaid," he said without looking up from his work.


	11. On The Other Side Of The Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I am the danger." - Cloud Strife

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue taken from Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII: Remake.

_"What are you going to do, Tifa?"_

_The brunette fighter turned to face Cloud on the bridge of the Highwind. She had been looking out the front window after everyone else left, her heart torn as she remembered she was all alone in the world except for AVALANCHE. She had no family, no other friends to return to – they had all been killed by Shinra._

_"Did you forget?" she asked the blond swordsman, who looked at her with sympathetic but woeful eyes. "I'm… all alone. I don't have anywhere to go."_

_Cloud took a step toward her and nodded. Without saying a word, he reached out to take her hand, which she tepidly accepted. He led her out of the Highwind and onto the deck, to the rope ladder that hung over the railing, and motioned for her to climb down. Tifa dutifully complied, unsure where Cloud was taking her. It didn't matter, she had followed him this far; she would follow him anywhere. God, she was a sap._

_She hopped down from the last rung of the ladder and started walking away from the airship. They were on a field on the Eastern Continent. The nearest town was hundreds of miles away. There were no people, no roads, no_ anything _around. Tifa felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness creep up on her for a moment. It smothered the air around her like a thick fog, leaving her lungs feeling heavy. All around the ground looked like death; sand and rocks stretched for miles, with very little elevation save a small mound where they now stood as the Highwind hovered above. Patches of grass tried to survive, scattered along the plains, failing to root and unable to sustain any life._

_She heard Cloud's footsteps behind her and at once the fog seemed to dissipate._

_"Everyone's gone…" she said without turning around._

_"Yeah, we don't have anywhere or anyone to go home to," Cloud responded, the weight of his words obvious between them._

_Tifa couldn't see him, but he was standing a few feet behind her on a rocky outcrop. He was staring off into the distance, thinking about his own singular existence. Tifa lowered her head._

_"You're right…" she raised her head again and brushed her hair behind her ear. "But… I'm sure someday… they'll come back, don't you think?"_

_Cloud folded his arms across his chest and brought one hand to rest on his chin._

_"Hmm… I wonder…" his gaze fell to the ground and he shook his head. "Everyone has an irreplaceable something they're holding on to…" Cloud quickly changed topic, "but this time, our opponent…"_

_An uncomfortable silence fell between them, neither moving. Tifa still had her back to Cloud, so he didn't see her swallow at the mention of their "opponent." Sephiroth had already caused so much grief in her young life. Twenty years old, and one man had destroyed her town, killed her father, scarred her for life, killed her best friend, and had summoned a meteor to destroy the planet. To say she was scared was an understatement. She was terrified, but determined to turn her fear and rage into something useful._

_She nodded her head and looked across the plains. The sky was a murky golden color as the sun set behind them, leaving the sky above a velvety navy blue. A few white clouds dotted the scene, but neither Cloud nor Tifa were paying attention._

_"Hmm… But that's all right, if no one comes back," she said. She paused for a moment, nervous to continue. "As long as I'm with you… As long as you're by my side… I won't give up even if I'm scared."_

_There it was. It was the closest she had ever come to expressing her feelings for him. Her heart beat loudly as she waited to see how he would respond. Would he agree with her? Shut her down? Say nothing?_

_Cloud dropped his hands to his sides and shifted to look at her back._

_"…Tifa…"_

_She was in it now, might as well keep going. Tifa reached her left arm behind her back to grip her right elbow. She took a deep breath._

_"No matter how close we are… We were far apart… before this," she said. "But when we were in the Lifestream surrounded by all those screams of anguish, I thought I heard your voice…"_

_She released her arm and slumped her shoulders, lowering her head and closing her eyes. A soft smile graced her lips even as she remembered the horrors she had experienced in Mideel. Inside the Lifestream, she could see everyone she had known who had died, all seemingly trapped in their final moments. Her father was holding his hands up in a weak defense, his eyes wide with the fearful anticipation of Sephiroth's sword. It was like he was frozen in time, forever forced to live out that exact moment. It was the same for Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. Tifa's eyes began to tear up and she choked back a sob._

_"You probably don't remember this…" she said, her eyes still closed as she fought back the tears. "But deep in my heart I heard you calling my name… Or at least I thought I did…"_

_This might be her only chance to tell Cloud how she felt before her death. She was just going to be honest and say what was in her heart. Of course, that was easier said than done, as her words seemed to be tiptoeing around what she really wanted to say._

_Cloud's eyes were still fixated on her back as she spoke. When she trailed off the last time, he turned away from her again. He hadn't wanted to remember his time in the Lifestream, or what was going through his head when he was suffering from Mako poisoning. He brought his fist to rest on his forehead, supporting his elbow with his other hand._

_"Yeah… At that time, I heard you calling me," he said, thinking back. "You were calling me back from the stream of consciousness in the Lifestream."_

_He again let his arms fall to his sides. His eyes focused on a point far away from either of them, his expression one of resolve._

_"After all, I promised," he continued. "That if anything were to ever happen to you, I would come to help."_

_Tifa opened her eyes again and looked straight forward again._

_"Cloud…? Do you think the stars can hear us?" she asked. She bent her knee to reposition her body so that she was looking slightly to her left, talking to Cloud over her shoulder. "Do you think they see how hard we're fighting for them?"_

_Cloud leaned back to look up at the darkening sky._

_"I dunno… But… Whether they are or not, we still have to do what we can. And believe in ourselves…" he said, moving his gaze back to that focal point in the distance. "Someday we'll find the answer. Right, Tifa?"_

_She didn't respond. She didn't know the answer. She thought she had been searching for some kind of answers her entire life and she still hadn't found them._

_"That's what I learned from you when I was in the Lifestream," Cloud concluded, keeping his eyes on the back of Tifa's head, hoping she would turn around to give him a sign that she understood. He needed her particular brand of comfort._

_He learned that from her? Tifa was surprised how much she had gotten through to him. She nodded her head again and flattened her lips, determined to remain strong for him._

_"Yeah… that's right…" she said._

_It wasn't exactly what Cloud hoped she would say. He once again turned away from her, feeling his own heart beginning to beat faster than usual. What was this? He hadn't felt this way since Aerith had been alive, or when he was a kid with a crush on Tifa. He, too, realized this might be his only chance to tell her what had been on his mind all these years. He sensed her in his consciousness in the Lifestream, sensed that she had learned his deepest childhood secret, but he couldn't be sure that wasn't all just some dream._

_"Hey Tifa… I…" he stammered, turning his attention to his feet and burying his hands in his pockets. "There are a lot of things I wanted to talk to you about."_

_He shook his head slowly. There was so much he wanted to tell her. Years of pent up emotions and secrets – both painful and embarrassing. The kind of secrets one would write in a diary without any intention for another's eyes to see. Feelings locked deep inside one's heart._

_"But now that we're together like this, I don't know what I really wanted to say…"_

_Curse his nerves. "I guess nothing's changed at all… Kind of makes you want to laugh…"_

_He had grown up, but apparently not when it came to romance. He had stammered through their "date" – if you could call it that – at the Gold Saucer all those months ago and had struggled to respond to Tifa or Aerith's flirtations throughout their adventures. He was so thick-headed he didn't even pick up on most of them._

_He let out a few "hehs" to lighten the mood, so terrified that Tifa would reject him._

_Instead, she shook her head – which wasn't a good sign, he thought – before lifting her shoulders and taking a slow, deep breath. This was it. Whatever she said next would be the defining moment of their relationship, Cloud thought. He couldn't bring himself to look at her for fear that his nervousness would make him look weak._

_"Cloud… Words aren't the only thing that tell people what you're thinking…" she said after a pause._

_When Cloud didn't immediately respond, Tifa ran her fingers through her hair anxiously. She then heard his footsteps shifting on the ground behind her and she felt his eyes on her back. She didn't know how he would take that. Would he take some kind of action? If so, what? She continued to stare forward, so afraid that if she turned around he would be gone, or looking at her like she was crazy. She had put it out there, inviting him to show her how he really felt. Waiting for his response was now agonizing as each second passed._

_She could feel her heart beating in her chest, echoing across the plains to tell everyone of her deepest feelings. His silence was its own response. She lowered her head and tried to smile to herself. At least she had her answer. She could fight Sephiroth knowing that even if she were to die, she tried. She nodded slightly to herself, trying to accept that she had done the right thing and that Cloud simply didn't share her feelings. It was closure, at least, but she could already feel hot tears forming in the corners of her eyes, threatening to slide down her cheeks and reveal her broken heart._

_Just as one made its way down the soft skin of her face, she felt two gloved hands on her arms. A shiver ran down her spine. She wiped the tear away as he turned her to face him, his head cocked to one side. He was smiling at her, but his eyes were heavy with sorrow when he saw that she was crying. He placed a hand on the side of her face and wiped away another tear with his thumb._

_She let out a short laugh to mask her sob. She thought he was just going to walk away, but here he was, holding her, easing her fears. It all became funny to her, how she had worked herself into a mess thinking she had been rejected instead of giving him just a few seconds to respond. They had been sidestepping their feelings for one another for nearly a decade, couldn't she have waited just one more minute?_

_His eyes brightened when she laughed. He so wanted to see her smile. He knew that when she had that faraway look in her eyes, she was thinking about all the pain she had experienced in her life. He had always wanted to comfort her, but he had been lost in his own psychosis and grief that he didn't even know how. He couldn't help himself; how could he help someone else?_

_He wished he could say something to ease her pain, but her last words stuck in his mind. He had to show her how he felt about her. He thought words were hard to come by, but now he found himself trembling as he convinced himself to do what he had wanted to do since he was a teenager._

_Cloud moved the hand that was already cupping the side of Tifa's face to bring his index finger under her chin. Her eyes looked up at him graciously, expectantly, nervously, her irises seeming to quiver as she searched his face for confirmation about what was to happen. Cloud's index finger raised her chin as he lowered his lips to hers._

_Twenty years. Twenty years she had been the girl next door, and this was their first kiss._

_Tifa felt heat spreading throughout her body, pooling in her chest and lower abdomen. Cloud kept one hand on the side of her neck and lowered his other to the small of her back, pulling her closer to him to deepen the kiss. At first she was too stunned to move, but she soon opened her mouth to let his wandering tongue inside. She wrapped her arms around his strong, muscular shoulders and closed her eyes. The last time they were like this was in Aerith's garden, but his tight grip and armor hurt her and she had to pull away, even though she wanted the moment to last. This time, however, Cloud had figured out his own strength._

_This was really happening. Cloud Strife was really kissing her, really holding her, really pressing his hips into hers. His hand moved to the back of her head for support, and he gripped her hair as his breathing increased. They stayed like that for some time, each one exploring the other's mouth with their own tongue, struggling through nerves, anticipation, and feelings of inadequacy._

_Tifa was shy and inexperienced. She had been kissed before, by her childhood friend Johnny, but she hadn't engaged in any sexual activity – at least not willingly. Spending five years in the slums of Midgar as a nubile teenager had been harsh, but she had escaped relatively unscathed._

_Cloud was thinking of his own naivety when it came to sex. He had been an awkward teenager with eyes for only Tifa when he left Nibelheim to join SOLDIER, and his Shinra training left him little time to meet women outside of work. And then the whole Nibelheim incident… He had been too busy chasing Sephiroth to do anything else after that, and now he felt his heart sinking at the realization. He had his dream girl in his arms, and he wasn't sure he would be able to satisfy her. He was no prude, to be sure, he had seen movies and read magazines, so it's not like he didn't know what to do. But watching and doing were two very different things. He started to wonder if Tifa would notice his greenness. Then he wondered if Tifa had been with any other man. He hadn't seen her in five years – any number of things could have happened to her in that time._

_No, his Tifa was still the same young girl he had left in Nibelheim all those years ago._

_He decided that he would do what he had seen in the movies and what he imagined during late nights at the barracks when he would think of her. He continued to kiss her, with all the passion of a hormonal teenage boy, and let his hands roam her back, settling on her rear end. She moaned when he squeezed her flesh, his hands still outside her clothing. He lingered there for a moment, his boyhood thoughts overwhelming his mind._

_She was so soft, so warm, so fit – the perfect woman. And now she was his. He slid his hands to her stomach and unhooked her suspenders, then moved up her sides to the hem of her tank top and started to lift. He felt her tense up and knew – or thought he knew – what it was about. He was about to see those perfect breasts of hers, and no one else had. He was in uncharted territory, and grinned as he thought about all the other men who had flirted with Tifa and who would kill to be in his position right now. She let him remove her shirt but quickly crossed her arms to cover herself._

_He stepped back, eager to see what no other man had seen. He licked his lower lip, excited by her display of coyness. She held her arms against her chest tighter as his eyes roamed. She had never seen him look at her that way, he was so… primal. She knew she had nothing to be nervous about in that department, but she also feared letting any man see her like this. Sephiroth's scar never properly healed, leaving her with a disfiguring gash between her breasts. The ends of the scar stretched up to her left shoulder and beneath her right breast. It was always in the back of her mind. Whenever someone would flirt with her – especially when she thought Cloud was flirting with her – she would feel pretty, but the memory of that scar loomed heavy in her subconscious._

_What would Cloud think when he saw it?_ Would he be disgusted? _She had worked so hard to make the rest of her body lean and toned – perfect – but that scar was always there, just beneath her clothes, threatening to ruin the moment for anyone who might want to see her breasts._

_Cloud reached forward; his knees weak as he tried to get Tifa to remove her arms from covering her chest. She closed her eyes and shook her head, looking distressed._

_"Tifa, it's okay," Cloud cooed softly. Tifa was breathing harder and trembling, but she let him take her arms. His hands grazed the length of her arms before taking each of her hands in his, spreading them so he could look at her chest, still hiding behind her bra._

_Cloud exhaled with a whistle of approval, which helped Tifa relax – at least a little. He traced the line of her scar with his finger but did not appear turned off by her appearance. It had startled him a little, but he didn't show it. It wasn't that the scar was ugly or that it detracted from her loveliness, it was that it made him remember that day in Nibelheim; the day he was too late to save her from Sephiroth's blade. The first time he broke his promise to her. Looking at it now, he couldn't help but be reminded of his failures, and it showed on his face. Tifa, however, thought that it was her scar that had sunken his features._

_"What's wrong?" she asked, barely above a whisper._

_Cloud realized what she must have thought and stared deep into her eyes._

_"I was thinking about how I failed you in Nibelheim, and about how I never want to do that again," he said, his hands rubbing her shoulders._

_Tifa smiled weakly and nodded. She would not let this stop her. Not now, not when she was enjoying how Cloud was looking at her._

_"You won't," she said._

_Cloud again embraced her, his hands roving along her back before gravitating to her bra clasp. He fiddled with it for a moment before it was unhooked. She didn't see the look of achievement on his face as he held her close, proud of himself for getting it unhooked so quickly. Her breasts were pressed firmly against his chest, so her bra did not fall. She held him a little longer, mentally preparing herself for this next step._

_She moved away from him, standing in front of him with her hands holding her bra straps on the opposite shoulder. Cloud felt a surge of blood rush to his loins as she slowly let the straps fall from her shoulders. The garment fell to the ground and she stood there, exposed in the dusky sky._

_He stepped toward her, again bringing his lips to hers but letting his hands roam her fleshy assets. He squeezed and teased; his hand just barely big enough to cup one of her breasts. She moaned as she felt the touch of a man she desired for the first time, her arms again wrapping around his neck. His lips parted with hers and made their way to her chin, then to her neck, chest, and finally to her breasts. He was bending down to reach her, and she closed her eyes. She ran her fingers through his hair and dared to press his face into her chest, wanting him to continue on – wanting him to keep exploring her body._

_When he returned to her lips, she let her hands rest on his chest, feeling his toned pectoral muscles with her fingertips. She moved her hands down to his leather armor and unhooked it from his own suspenders. She then started to work on his belt buckles._

_God, he wore too much armor, but she supposed it was necessary for his line of work. He certainly wasn't dressed for lovemaking, that was for sure. He helped her, his lips still pressed into hers, and when all the leather and plates had fallen to the ground at his feet, he removed his shirt, revealing a toned upper body and abdomen - along with his own scar from Sephiroth's blade. Tifa's followed Cloud's lead by tracing the line of his scar with her fingers before her gaze fell to his Adonis Belt, which was visible above the waistband of his pants. The "V" seemed to be openly mocking her, pointing to what she now wanted most but could not yet have._

_Cloud pulled her closer, more forceful this time, to feel her breasts against his own powerful chest. He bent his head down to kiss her neck, sucking on the thin skin and nipping as he moved elsewhere. Tifa's head rolled back as her hands explored the muscles of his back._

_Cloud kept an arm around her waist and gently lowered her onto the ground. He was struggling to keep from ripping her skirt and his pants off and taking her immediately. No, their first time was going to last, and she was going to love it. While a certain part of his body wanted to do things differently, Cloud was determined to make this night all about Tifa. She had done so much for him, and he had failed her over and over again. He was going to make up for everything tonight, in case tomorrow was their last day on earth._

_He laid down next to her and placed the back of his hand on her thigh. He gently caressed her smooth skin before letting his fingers slide up to the hem of her skirt, then to her inner thigh. She shivered, and Cloud couldn't help but smile that it was his touch that was doing this to her. He moved his hand higher, underneath her skirt, grazing the fabric of her panties. They were wet already, and he let out a moan as his abdominal muscles tightened._

_Tifa studied his face as he touched her, seeing expressions she had never seen before from him. He looked happy for the first time since she could remember. He wasn't smiling, his eyes were focused, but his whole demeanor was lighter than it had been in a long time – and it was because of her._

_She stretched her arms and clasped her fingers behind her head, arching her back as Cloud's fingers moved aside her panties to play with the flesh beneath. He found her most sensitive bud and rubbed it with his thumb before positioning his index finger at her entrance, petting her slick folds. Tifa bit her lower lip as she anticipated Cloud's next move, tantalized by his teasing yet wanting him to continue. When at last his finger finally entered her, she whelped, her thighs tightening as her body reacted against him. Within seconds, Cloud pushed a second finger into her, though the tightness of her walls made it difficult._

_Cloud was the only man she had ever loved, and his fingers were now inside her. It was exhilarating. Anything he did would feel amazing to her inexperienced loins, having never known what it was like to be with someone for which she had feelings. Cloud concentrated on his motion for a few minutes while Tifa writhed beneath him in pleasure. His eyes lifted to scan her face, wanting to know just what she was thinking._

_"Oh, Cloud…" she said in a sultry, desperate voice._

_While she had remained optimistic during their adventure, she couldn't remember the last time she was truly happy. Whenever that was, it certainly couldn't compare to what she was feeling at this exact moment._

_Cloud removed his hand from under her skirt and sat up. He unbuckled her belt and gripped the sides of her skirt to remove it. She kicked it off along with her shoes and socks. She crossed her legs as Cloud removed his own pants and footwear, feeling that even though they had come so far – and it was clear where this was going – she was embarrassed to be seen fully naked by a man, even this man._

_Cloud hooked his fingers on the sides of her panties and pulled them down as Tifa uncrossed her legs for him. She quickly closed her knees together, fearing that he would find the folds between her legs unattractive. She certainly didn't understand how any man could see them and get turned on._

_She was wrong, of course, as Cloud sat back on his heels to examine her now naked body. She was perfect, in his eyes. He couldn't have dreamed up a more gorgeous woman than the one who now lay quivering beneath him, her body prepared to become one with his own. He crawled on top of her and leaned in to kiss her, rubbing his boxer briefs against her lower body. He did it to see the look of bliss on her face, mixed with a tinge of bitter anticipation, but also as his own fears had reached his thoughts again. What if he wasn't big enough, or good enough? What if he couldn't satisfy her? He nearly started to panic when she opened her eyes and smiled at him, as if to say, "I'm ready."_

_He had come this far; there was no turning back now. He would do everything in his power to follow through on his promise and the actions he had taken thus far. He removed his boxer briefs and leaned back over her, pulsing with desire, searching her eyes again to see that she approved._

_With her desire confirmed, his hand reached down to his throbbing cock, steadying it at her entrance. He felt like he could already come, but he would hold back with all his might to ensure that she was taken care of tonight. The head of his cock tickled her as he prepared to enter her, unknowingly holding his breath. She twitched at the sensation until he started to slide in and her face grimaced._

_"Tight…" Cloud said, more to himself than to her. He looked down to see her legs trembling, then into her eyes to see she looked to be in pain. "Should I stop?" he asked, worried that she would accept his offer._

_She scrunched her eyes closed but shook her head with muffled moans. "No, I want this," she said._

_Cloud nodded and pushed himself in a little deeper, feeling her walls start to widen every so slightly. Tifa still looked like she was in pain, but she continued to encourage him, her hormones overtaking her pain receptors._

_When Cloud finally entered her to the hilt she cried out and he stopped. "Keep going," she said through tears. Cloud was careful, waiting for her walls to relax and her body to ease its tension. He lowered himself to his elbows so he could kiss her as he bucked his hips gently against hers, the feeling unlike anything he had ever imagined. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tried to match his movements, eventually falling into rhythm with him._

_Those nights on the road where she longed for him to make a move or join her in her bed all faded away as she reached her climax, scared to release for ruining the moment. Cloud sensed her turmoil and wiped the hair from her face. "Let go," he whispered, his lips ghosting across her ear lobe._

_His words danced between her ears with multiple meanings and she wanted to obey. She wanted to come for him, with him. She wanted to forget all her fears about tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, and just live in the moment with her hero. She wanted to know he felt the same way about her._

_A string of curse words spitting from his lips was her reward as he experienced his own release. He tried to pull out before he came but was too late, a sudden realization and fear striking his heart. It had felt too good; he had wanted her for too long. Her hands found his neck and she kept him in place as he tried to sit back, her quiet smile telling him everything he wanted to know._

_Tifa had spent years dreaming of this moment, praying that one day she would be able to make Cloud happy. As he stared down at her with heavy-lidded eyes and the most natural smile she'd ever seen on his face, she knew she had succeeded. Cloud felt like a God, like even if Sephiroth were to kill him tomorrow, he could enter the Lifestream proud._

_Cloud woke first in the early breaths of morning. The sun was peeking out above the horizon far to the East, but he didn't notice. Instead his gaze fell to the beautiful creature resting her head on his shoulder, still asleep. They had dressed after their encounter, worried that some monster may find them as they slept, though such a thought didn't seem to cross their minds a few hours earlier._

_Cloud slowly scanned her body from head to, well, his eyes stopped roaming once they got to her thighs, which were spread slightly. She had been sore after, making him feel like a real man, and she couldn't close her legs due to the tenderness between. He hated to wake her, but they couldn't stay like this forever, as much as he wanted to…_

_"… It's almost dawn…" he whispered._

_Tifa stirred._

_"H… huh?" she asked, her eyes fluttering open for just a moment before closing again._

_"Sorry. Did I wake you…?" Cloud asked, receiving no response. "It's almost dawn, Tifa."_

_She sat up and looked around, as if she needed to remind herself where she was and that the previous night had not been a dream._

_"Umm… G, good morning… Cloud," she stammered, realizing that last night was real. Her womanhood ached and she felt dirty all over. She loved it. "Give me a little longer… Just a little bit longer…"_

_She leaned her head on his shoulder again._

_"This day will never come again… So, let me have this moment…" she whispered softly._

_Cloud nodded._

_"Yeah… okay," he said, leaning his head against hers. "This is probably the last time we'll have together…"_

_They awoke a couple hours later. The sun was now out, and the sky was a brilliant blue streaked with clouds. Tifa looked up at the Highwind hovering in the distance. She clasped her hands behind her back and smiled. The world looked so different today. The Highwind no longer looked so cold and imposing. The metal had a new sheen to it and the undersides lapped up the sun in golden delight. Even the propellers seemed less frantic._

_Cloud was still sitting where they had slept, his arms resting on his knees. Tifa let her hands fall to her sides and shook her head, her back turned to Cloud who was, himself, staring in another direction. She hoped he was going over the night before…_

_She took a deep breath and sighed. Cloud stood up, still facing away from her._

_"We'd better go," he said, even though he didn't want to._

_At that moment he wanted to suggest finding a small cabin somewhere and waiting out their remaining days in bed. He definitely hated the idea that last night might be their only night together, but he knew they had a job to do. They couldn't be selfish; they had to try and save the planet._

_Tifa turned to him and stretched out her arms in exasperation._

_"But, I still…!?" she said. There was still so much she wanted to tell him. Words may not have been the only way for him to express his feelings for her, but she now wanted to hear them more than ever. It was foolish, really, to think that they could sleep together and that she would not be left wondering if it meant they were a couple._

_"It's all right, Tifa," Cloud said, turning toward her but remaining in place. "You said so yourself yesterday."_

_He chuckled._

_"At least we don't have to go on alone," he continued._

_Tifa calmed down a bit. He was right, even if no one else from AVALANCHE – remember them, Tifa? – came back, she was no longer alone._

_"Yes… That's right!" she exclaimed._

_Cloud flashed her a wry smile and nodded his head. He felt the same way. He would never be alone again._

_"Okay! Let's go!" he said before walking toward the Highwind. Tifa soon joined him, taking his hand in hers._

_When they reached the walkway to the bridge, Tifa noticed just how empty the ship felt with no one else in it. Yuffie wasn't in her customary position trying to keep from yacking, and the crew members weren't running around outside the conference room and chocobo stall._

_"The airship is too big for just the two of us," Tifa said, hanging her head. "Yeah, it's a little lonely without everyone."_

_Cloud turned around to face her and took a step toward her._

_"Don't worry. It'll be okay," he said before doing some squats. "I'll make a big enough ruckus for everyone."_

_Tifa smiled. She felt so much more at ease around her hero now, and he seemed to soften in her presence as well. When was the last time he joked around with her like this?_

_"Besides, I'm the pilot," he added, beating his chest with his fist. "No more flying around casually like before. We won't have time to feel lonely."_

_Tifa flipped her hair behind her shoulders and moved one leg behind her for her trademark flirtatious stance. She nodded her head at the exact moment the airship shook, as if it were taking off. They each looked around but still saw no one._

_"Huh!?" Tifa asked._

_"It's moving," Cloud said. Without another word, they both ran to the bridge._

_Tifa threw her hands up excitedly when she saw Barret and Cid by the wheel. Cait Sith was just inside the entrance, too._

_"Barret! Cid!" Cloud exclaimed, running up to his friends._

_Barret looked at each of them nervously, a little heat rising up in his cheeks._

_"O, oh… is that okay with you?" he asked them._

_They didn't seem to understand, and he didn't want to push the issue. He loved Tifa like his own daughter and always wanted her to be happy. He still had some misgivings about Cloud, but if he made Tifa happy, Barret was happy._

_Nanaki bounded up the stairs behind the wheel. Cloud called out his name, elated to see how many people had returned to the Highwind._

_"Why didn't you tell me!?" Tifa asked Barret._

_She assumed they had gotten back to the ship that morning, perhaps not even noticing her and Cloud on the ground below. Nanaki shook his head._

_"But, you know, Cid," the red beast said to the pilot, who had refused to look at Cloud or Tifa._

_He suddenly released the wheel and ran over to Nanaki._

_"Hey, Nanaki," he said gruffly. "If you butt in now, you never know what they'll say later…"_

_Tifa blinked a few times as it slowly dawned on her. They had_ not _just boarded the ship this morning._

_"… Were you watching?" she asked, as her breath quickened. The most important night of her life, and her friends had all seen._

_She turned away from them as her face flushed a deep shade of crimson from embarrassment. She ran to the front of the bridge and collapsed on the floor, holding her head and sobbing. She had never been so mortified in her entire life. She thought over everything she and Cloud had done the night before._

_"OH GODS," she thought to herself, praying they couldn't have seen too much from their perch aboard the ship._

_If they had… they had seen her in all her glory, completely exposed. They would have seen her do unspeakable things, things only girls in dirty movies would do, things that no one except Cloud was allowed to see._

_She could hear Barret and Cid whooping and cheering behind her. She felt shame deep down in her abdomen. She suddenly felt as if she were naked in front of all of them, each of them gawking at her like she was on display. She almost wished Meteor would swiftly end her suffering._

_Cloud blushed as well and scratched the back of his head. If they were watching, they surely saw how inexperienced and awkward he was. Barret and Cid were much older and had certainly had their share of sexual encounters. They must have been laughing at him the whole time. And they must have seen Tifa. He didn't want any other man to see her that way, especially now that she was his._

_He walked over to where she had collapsed and knelt down beside her, wrapping his muscular arms around her and holding her against him tight. Barret and Cid realized they needed to stop their celebrations and cleared their throats._

* * *

Tifa again found herself on the Highwind, leaning against the railing and staring at the ground below. She and Vincent had to fight their way out of Edge to get to the airship. The monsters in and around the city now were no longer simply native to Midgar, with ark dragons, spirals, and even goblins traveling to the new city, as if they were on their own adventure.

Once onboard the Highwind, Cid relayed the difficulty he had getting to Edge. Apparently, the monster population around Rocket Town was venturing into the city regularly and attacking his ship. He had to put an electric fence around it to keep them out. Even getting to the Highwind was difficult these days, as he had to fight off creatures just to get inside the fence.

Tifa waited patiently, nervously, for Cid to finish grousing before she spoke, her voice quiet and her tone meek.

"Um, Cid?" she asked, not able to look in his eyes. "Before you take us to Nibelheim, could we stop somewhere else first?"

Cid's mouth dropped open and he prepared for another tirade. How dare she ask more of him after everything he was already doing! It was then he finally realized Cloud was not with her and that she hadn't mentioned him when she called earlier. Something was wrong. Tifa wasn't one to ask for much from people, so whatever she wanted must be important.

"Where?" he asked, softening. Tifa tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Can we go to The Forgotten Capital? I think Cloud might be there," she said.

Cid watched her expression drop as she spoke. If it had been anyone else, he might have denied their request and given them an earful, but Tifa looked like she _needed_ this. He hadn't seen her _need_ anything since they went to Mideel to find Cloud two years ago.

"How long has he been missing?" Cid asked. Tifa sighed.

"Over four months. I haven't heard from him. He said he was looking for 'forgiveness' so I think he went to The Forgotten Capital," she answered all his potential questions before he could ask them, just like with Vincent.

Cid nodded and headed down below to the bridge, ordering his men to prepare for takeoff.

Tifa sighed as she watched the world whip by below her in a blur. Even though she knew it was futile, she still looked below, searching for Cloud, hoping she would see that he was traveling back to Edge and to her. Of course, she could not have seen him even if they did pass over him, and she felt that same sense of loneliness she experienced when everyone had left the Highwind two years ago, leaving her with just Cloud. To be sure, she had felt that loneliness to some extent ever since Cloud had left. Maybe she should get a dog when she returned.

The only times she felt less lonely was when she and the Turks were fighting monsters. It was _almost_ like old times when she was with them, except that she had fought monsters _and_ the Turks with AVALANCHE. When they drank in her bar, even though they had once been enemies, it provided her with a sense of familiarity that had been missing from her life. Against all odds, they were now her friends.

She still hadn't heard from or seen Reno since his last text. This little excursion, she hoped, would clear her mind of the men in her life. She should have known even back when she was first with Cloud that he was emotionally unavailable, even if it didn't seem like it at the time. His domesticity couldn't last for long. He had Jenova cells in him, and mako. He was a warrior, and he needed to fight. Somehow doing the dishes and changing lightbulbs would just never be enough for him, even if was with Tifa.

And what about Reno?

 _What ABOUT Reno?_ She scoffed.

If Cloud wasn't the type to settle down, Reno certainly wasn't either. Reno's idea of conquering may have differed from Cloud's, but they were both goal-oriented fighters in their own right. If Reno had any interest in her, it was purely physical.

Why was he on her mind at all, then?

He had, indeed, planted a seed in her brain, making her question his feelings, making her question her _own_ feelings. The idea that someone like Reno might actually like her gnawed at her brain no matter how many times she told herself it simply wasn't true. She felt her own notions of achievement wash over her. Could she really be so desirable that she would turn even a tomcat like Reno into a hopeless romantic. She scoffed at the thought. She wasn't desirable enough for Cloud, and Cloud _wasn't_ a womanizer.

"I have a theory," she heard Vincent say, suddenly appearing beside her.

Had he been there the whole time?

Tifa continued to stare out at the landscape.

"I think the Lifestream emboldened the monsters, increasing their power, encouraging them to breed," Vincent continued, undeterred by her lack of interest.

"Nanaki had a similar theory," Tifa informed her companion. Neither looked at each other, and their voices matched in tone.

"I just want to see if Hojo ran any experiments on monsters, instead of just humans," Vincent added.

"Well, I'm here to help," Tifa replied.

Even when she tried, she couldn't keep her underlying warmness hidden for long. Just the anticipation of knowing she was on another adventure with AVALANCHE – just one member, but still – was enough to calm her scattered mind.

"We're here," Cid's voice rang over the loudspeakers. "Get the hell off my ship."

Tifa laughed inwardly at Cid's demand. She knew he was half-kidding but appreciated his attempt to lift her spirits. She glanced at Vincent before throwing the rope ladder over the side of the airship and climbing down, the ex-Turk not far behind.

The Highwind was hovering just outside the city. The roar of the engine and the displacement of the dirt below scattered the fiends in the area. On their previous adventure, no monsters had wandered into The Forgotten Capital. Now, however, Tifa noticed that creatures from all over the world were spread out around the fork in the road that led further into the city. A behemoth was fighting a blue dragon near the path toward Aerith's lake while bandersnatches, kimara bugs, malboros and others all appeared together, moving away from the Highwind.

Tifa and Vincent snuck around the two beasts that were fighting and moved into the narrow tunnel beyond the middle path.

Tifa was halfway through when she began to see damage to the walls. Slash marks damaged the architecture and the shells that lined the walls. Tifa ran her hand over one line.

"I don't think a monster did this…" she said.

"The hell?" she heard Cid behind them. She hadn't expected him to join them.

The markings on the wall were singular slashes in haphazard locations. If it had been a beast, there likely would have been parallel slashings from claws or shorter markings from teeth. As it were, none of the creatures they had seen near the fork followed them into the tunnel.

Tifa could see the light that seemed to endlessly shine on Aerith's lake up ahead, her memories pulled back to the day they buried her there. She held her breath as the tunnel opened up to the forest clearing where the lake stood in front of the old shell house that led underground to where Aerith was killed.

Immediately her attention was drawn to a familiar figure lounging at the side of the lake, laying on his side, supporting his head with his fist and looking practically bored. Cloud. He looked better than when Tifa last saw him four months earlier. The purple bags that had formed under his eyes from lack of sleep were gone, and color had returned to his skin and eyes. His expression, too, appeared lighter than before.

Tifa's heart broke. Cloud looked fine, as if getting away from her was all he needed to heal. She stopped walking forward, but the blond swordsman had heard her footsteps and looked up in her direction. Just as Tifa let his name escape her lips he was up and running toward her.

"Tifa!" he said, wrapping her up in his strong arms, nearly crushing her in a hug that could have been given by Barret.

Neither saw Cid pull Vincent back into the narrow passageway to give them privacy.

"Cloud…" she breathed against him, pressing her head into his chest.

Cloud suddenly pulled away when she spoke, as if he had just woken up from a dream and she was not the person he expected to see.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone suddenly dark as he kept her at arm's length.

Tifa staggered at his sudden change, grasping for a response.

"I thought… maybe you were hurt," she said, unable to look him in the eyes.

Cloud rubbed the back of his neck and looked away from her.

"No," he responded shortly.

Tifa was confused. First he hugged her and now he was acting completely different; cold.

"How are the headaches?" she asked.

"Uh, pretty much gone," Cloud responded, his voice devoid of warmth or even the familiarity he had built up with Tifa over their lives together.

Tifa's stomach twisted in her gut as she began to consider the fact that Cloud was never as bad off as she thought and that his leaving her really did have to do with her and not the headaches. Still, she decided to keep pushing.

"So, you found forgiveness? Will you come home?"

Cloud locked eyes with her, almost looking hostile.

"I can't," he admitted.

"Why?"

"Tifa…"

"What, Cloud!? What is it you're not telling me? I've known you my whole life, what could it possibly be that you can't tell me?"

"The nightmares are worse," he said, the anger from his voice dissipating, replaced with defeat. "Being around me is dangerous."

"We've been together the past two years! We've faced all kinds of danger!"

* * *

_"Tifa?"_

_"Cloud! You're alive! I thought we'd lost you!"_

_"What's going on?"_

_"Shh. I'll explain everything later. But now, I'm on my way to see Don Corneo. You should head back to Seventh Heaven, meet up with the gang."_

_"But—"_

_"I'll be fine. You've seen how much ass I can kick."_

_"I have…"_

* * *

"Not like this, Tifa," Cloud turned his back to her and folded his arms over his chest.

"But we can get through it together," Tifa pleaded, her eyes welling up with tears, fearful that Cloud was going to say exactly what she didn't want to hear.

During their time together after Meteorfall, she thought she had gotten over her jealousy of Cloud's feelings for Aerith. The flower girl had been Tifa's best friend, but she always struggled with the relationship she shared with Cloud and whether he felt the same. Now, standing at Aerith's lake as Cloud pushed her away, those feelings came roaring back.

"Don't you get it, Tifa? I _am_ the danger!"

"What do you mean?"

Cloud let out an exasperated sigh. He wasn't getting through to her and he knew it. Tifa, his loyal friend, simply refused to give up. He couldn't tell her the truth; she'd never accept it, and he couldn't risk her life.

"Tifa, I'm not coming back," he said, still not looking at her. "This is where I belong now."

Tifa's hands balled into fists at her sides as she struggled to stop the tears from flowing. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him to snap out of it and stop feeling sorry for himself over the past. It wasn't his fault that Aerith or Zack died; he didn't just attract death. She was angry, for sure, but she spoke to him in a calm, measured voice that showed her feelings without raising her voice.

"So, the headaches and the nightmares…"

Cloud took a deep breath. "They weren't the only reasons I left…" he said, lowering his gaze to his feet.

Tifa's lower lip quivered but she steeled her eyes with a look of resolve, masking the hurt and anger behind them.

"I see…" she said, her heart joining her stomach in doing flips.

She watched Cloud's back a moment to see if he would even face her to admit the truth – but he didn't. She nodded her head even though no one was watching and turned to leave Aerith's lake. She stopped at the edge of the passageway and put her hand on the jagged surface, looking over her shoulder at Cloud's still unmoved form.

"You know, you could have told me you didn't love me four months ago…" she said before quickly storming through the passageway toward the Highwind. Vincent and Cid had to quickly get out of her way as she passed to climb up the rope ladder to the airship. The look on her face told them not to ask questions.

The two men looked at each other and then back down the passageway toward the lake before they, too, returned to the airship in silence.

"Tifa..." Cloud said once she was in the passageway, his own heart heavy.


	12. That Darn Turk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What was that all about?" - Vincent Valentine.

Upon landing in Nibelheim, Vincent and Tifa were immediately greeted by a pack of Nibel wolves. Tifa groaned as she readied herself for a fight, while Vincent began firing his weapon. Cid took off in the Highwind, promising to return the next day. He would have stayed, he said, but worried about leaving the airship alone overnight without the safety of the electric fencing he had built in Rocket Town.

When Vincent and Tifa were finished with the wolves, they entered Nibelheim, walking beneath the town sign that now hung lopsided from an apparent monster attack. The streets were quiet, eerily so. Tifa wondered if it was due to the constant threat of monster attacks or if it was still the same quietness they had experienced when they first discovered the town had been rebuilt.

Yet as they walked deeper into the town, Tifa realized there were no monsters in the town square. She turned around to examine the path they had just taken. She could see fiends back on the grassy plains outside the town, but they seemed to be avoiding the village itself. She couldn't blame them. With everything that had happened in this town, she wanted to avoid it, too.

She looked around at the weathered buildings and the old well, neither her nor Vincent saying a word. The buildings looked just as they had when she was a kid, which still creeped her out since Shinra had rebuilt the town. Tifa could never figure out how Shinra managed to get every detail exactly right except for the poor acting skills of the Shinra employees hired to be townspeople. The air was chilled as they made their way toward the manor and Tifa wrapped her arms around her chest to keep warm. Vincent stopped just outside the inn.

"We should get a fresh start in the morning," he said.

Tifa readily agreed. She was exhausted from her fight with Cloud in The Forgotten Capital and just wanted to fall asleep to forget this day ever happened. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid as to follow Cloud. She felt like a fool and she was humiliated. She thought he was sick; but he just didn't love her anymore. He missed Aerith too much and would apparently rather live alone next to the lake where she was buried than with living, breathing Tifa. She had been battling tears ever since she left him earlier in the day. Thankfully, neither Vincent nor Cid asked her what happened.

She tried to focus on why she was back in Nibelheim, the absolute last place on Gaia she wanted to be – well, second to last, now. She remembered how many monsters lurked inside the Shinra mansion years ago and could only imagine how many were there now.

She cringed. AVALANCHE's first journey to the manor was like something out of a horror movie. The floors creaked, dust and cobwebs covered _everything_ , and monsters jumped out to scare them at every turn. She recalled how much they struggled to solve Hojo's riddle to get the key to find Vincent. On far too many occasions, she had considered begging Cloud to give up, but he was determined. If Aerith hadn't been there to keep them healed, Tifa didn't think any of them would have survived.

And… her thoughts were right back to Cloud. Tifa hadn't felt like a third wheel when they were in the Shinra manor two years ago, but she now realized she had been. She must have been the third wheel a lot.

She dreaded returning to the manor, even though she was now so much stronger than she had been back then.

She and Vincent entered the inn and approached the clerk's desk.

"Two rooms," Vincent said, holding up two metal fingers for emphasis. The clerk was visibly nervous in Vincent's presence. His voice wavered as he spoke.

"I'm sorry… we only have one room available," he said, mentally bracing himself to be attacked by the frightening man standing before him.

Vincent looked at Tifa, who shrugged. It wasn't like she hadn't had to share a room with members of AVALANCHE before. Vincent turned his head back to the clerk and nodded in acceptance.

The Nibelheim Inn had never been full when they visited before. The whole team had always been able to fit comfortably within its walls. The room she was now relegated to had two twin-size beds with just a nightstand separating them, and a small bathroom. There was barely enough room to walk from the door to the other end of the room, a far cry different than the rooms she had usually stayed in while traveling.

She now realized that other members of her party may have stayed in this very room when they visited Nibelheim the first time. She, Yuffie, and Aerith always roomed together, and now that she thought back, the boys always did allow them to take the best room they could rent. She scrunched her eyes closed as she learned she had been privileged – if that was the right word – during their adventure.

She and the girls always talked long into the night about what had happened during the day. Yuffie usually focused on whatever new materia she found while Tifa and Aerith discussed the fights and newly learned information, each sure to stay away from the subject of their interactions with Cloud. Tifa missed those nights with the girls.

Vincent was predictably bad company. As soon as they entered the room, he plopped down on the far bed and seemed to disappear into another world. He sat back against the headboard and closed his eyes while crossing his arms. Tifa didn't think he was sleeping, but he didn't seem awake either.

She checked her PHS – several messages from Yuffie, because the young ninja couldn't just type everything in one text – and placed it on the nightstand between the beds. She hadn't told her former companion about her interaction with Cloud. For one thing, she didn't want to have the conversation over text messages and for another, she didn't feel like calling her friend right now. She wanted to try to hold off crying as long as possible, though now that she was alone with her thoughts – Vincent didn't seem to be totally conscious – she found it difficult.

The thought of telling members of AVALANCHE that she failed to keep Cloud's attention formed a pit in her stomach, a void she dreaded. Cid and Vincent knew now, and Yuffie knew from before, so the information would probably spread rapidly throughout the group. She felt embarrassment creep up through her core.

Tifa removed a novel from her knapsack and settled into bed to read but her mind kept returning to what Cloud had said.

_I am the danger._

She flittered between anger and depression as she lay in bed after throwing the book across the room. Vincent didn't even stir. The martial artist climbed under the covers and pulled the blanket over her head, finally giving in to the tears that had been burning behind her eyes all evening.

The next morning, she and Vincent reached the gates to the manor without interference. Again, Tifa noticed that the fiends weren't coming into the village. She saw a pack of Nibel wolves standing at the entrance, stepping in place and barking as if there was a wall keeping them from entering. After a few minutes, they turned and walked to their right, behind the buildings on the outer edge of the town.

The metal gate of the Shinra manor creaked as Vincent pushed the doors open and walked through. They were so rusted at this point, Tifa was surprised they didn't just break at the slightest touch.

If anything, the mansion was mustier than it was before, if that was possible. Maybe it was just because she hadn't been here in two years and had managed to push the memories of this place out of her mind.

A ghirofelgo swung at them from above, cutting a path between Vincent and Tifa, his bladed lower body narrowly missing her shoulder. Her hair blew backward in the wind caused by his swing. Vincent removed the Death Penalty from its holster and fired a shot square between the monster's eyes, killing it instantly.

"We don't have time to waste," he said.

He kept his hands on his gun, poised to shoot, as he led Tifa up the staircase and to the right, into the bedroom with the secret wall door to the basement. A couple of mirages were waiting for them inside the hidden room, but the seasoned fighters dispatched them quickly and continued on.

As they reached the bottom of the spiraling ramp, a colony of bats flew out of the basement corridor and up into the secret room, frantically flying in circles as they searched for an exit.

Vincent ignored them as he stepped into the basement. Tifa looked up at the ceiling and the swarm of bats before following him. A few of the bats were separated from their group and attacked. Tifa was bit on her shoulder and swatted the animal away. Vincent took a few swipes with his clawed hand since they were too quick for his pistol. When they succeeded in getting the bats to leave them alone, they began walking toward the library but were stopped by a ying and yang.

Tifa had once been terrified of this particular creature, but now remembered a conversation she had with Cloud during happier times in Edge where he made a crude joke about how their heads looked like two uncircumcised –

Ying slapped her upside the head. She retaliated with a swift kick to the face, causing it to fall backwards and die. Vincent cast fire on yang, who joined ying in death.

"What's so funny?" Vincent asked grimly.

Tifa's face turned red. She couldn't let Vincent in on her and Cloud's inside joke.

"I was just thinking about how much easier it is to walk through here than it was two years ago," she said innocently.

At least she could find amusement in some memories with Cloud.

They reached the door to Hojo's experimentation lab and Vincent paused with his hand on the doorknob. Tifa sensed his hesitation and decided to spare him the embarrassment of having to ask.

"I'll take this room, why don't you check out the library?" Tifa asked. Vincent nodded.

Tifa had never been in this room before but knew that it existed and what had happened to Vincent here. She didn't think he had ever come back and though he was usually emotionless, Tifa could tell he still hurt when he thought back to his time as a Turk.

The experimentation room was filled with lab equipment and machines. A large island in the middle of the room contained a cutout desk with a microscope in front of it. The rest of the island was the resting place for beakers and petri dishes. In the back of the room, still recognizable, was the containment vessel where Vincent had been kept while Hojo ran his experiments. Tifa shuddered at the thought. Vincent and Cloud had both been experimented on by Hojo, and Aerith spent her first few years of life in one of his labs and was nearly another one of his victims in Midgar. Tifa thought about how she may have lost everything due to Shinra – twice – but she still felt lucky not to have been one of those that fell into Hojo's grasp.

She walked slowly alongside the island, running her hand gently on the countertop and leaving finger trails in the dust that had collected over the past 30-some years. When she reached the work area, she leaned forward to peer into the microscope, knowing full well she would have no clue what she was looking at.

She heard what she thought sounded like the door opening behind her and spun around to see if Vincent had gathered the courage to enter. All she saw was the lab equipment and a closed, unmoving door. Her nerves must be playing tricks on her.

The microscope still contained a slide, possibly of Jenova, possibly of Chaos or who knows what else. She bent back over to take a second look. She fumbled with the knobs on the side of the device, trying to focus the blurry red splotches she could see on the slide. When she did, nothing really changed, they were now just focused red splotches.

"Long time no see, Lockhart," a familiar voice said as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Tifa nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice. She flailed her arms for balance, but lost and fell onto her backside, Reno laughing all the while. She quickly recovered and stood back up, muttering a few curses at him and adjusting her skirt.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, still trying to get her heart rate under control. "I told you not to sneak up on me!"

"I didn't mean to this time! I swear!" Tifa rolled her eyes. "You're not happy to see me?" he teased, keeping the distance between them minimal.

"Not particularly, no," she said, backing away from him. At least now she could focus on something other than Cloud.

"Well, that's too bad, yo," he said, that impish smile returning to his face. "Because I'm certainly happy to see you."

"Whatever" Tifa said, turning her head to look toward the back of the lab.

Reno's enthusiasm waned. He thought she would have reacted differently given their last encounter and the last text he sent. Something was wrong. She wasn't responding to his attempts to be charming.

"Something wrong, babe?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting in concern that went unnoticed.

He put his hands in his pockets and started to slowly walk toward her. He led with his hips, his shoulders hunched over and his eyes inspecting Tifa. She winced at the word "babe."

This one was definitely a challenge.

"Don't like 'babe'?" he asked sheepishly. "How about sweetie?" Tifa shook her head. "Kitten?" She shook her head again. "…Sugartits?"

Tifa shot him a look that said she wanted to snap his neck for that last one. Maybe he could cheer her up with his particular brand of humor, or at least snap her out of whatever mood she was in. The look on her face was quickly replaced with one of utter sorrow. He expected a snappy comeback from her like he would usually receive at the bar. Maybe he had been gone too long?

No, she was completely different, like she was during the first couple months after Cloud had left.

"Seriously, yo, did something happen?"

He saw it in her eyes immediately, though it was clear she was fighting. Her arms were straight at her sides and her fists were trembling. She looked down at her feet and Reno could see she was about to lose it. He wasn't used to this and didn't know what to say or do. He wasn't good in these situations. He was more the "wham, bam, thank you ma'am" kind of guy. He didn't stick around to talk about feelings or problems.

But seeing her the way she was made him want to comfort her, even though he didn't know how. He thought his odds were about 50-50 that she would either attack him or cry if he approached her, but he took his chances anyway. She had seemed to be doing much better these past couple months. She had laughed with him and Rude and given as good as she got from them. She no longer cried in the storage room or faked all her smiles. He found himself suddenly wanting to help her get back to that state. He knew she hadn't regressed because of him disappearing for a week, but she still hadn't answered him.

He closed the distance between them a little more and noticed her whole body was now shaking and tears were falling to the ground between her feet. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked around to make sure they were alone, as if he hadn't known already. He wasn't ready for his reputation as a badass to get tarnished and he worried Rude might be mad with him if he caught them, but he couldn't just leave her now. Reno raised his jaw and took the last step toward Tifa, tentatively reaching his hands out to rest them on her shoulders.

"Hey, you alright, Lockhart?" he asked, bending his knees so that he stood at her eye level.

She still didn't answer, but he heard her sob and then sniffle before suddenly lurching forward and wrapping her arms around him, burying her face in his chest and crying harder.

Reno's hands fell from her shoulders and he held his arms in the air for a moment, stunned by her actions and unsure what to do next. He heard her sobbing as she tightened her grip around him. Their friendship was tenuous at this point, vaguely established but walking on a razor thin wire that could snap without much weight. He didn't know whether touching her at this moment would be the feather that broke the wire.

He remained motionless and confused for a moment before slowly reaching out to wrap his arms around her. When she didn't object, he started gently stroking her back to comfort her. He couldn't remember the last time he had held someone like this.

No, he could, but he didn't want to think about that.

Tifa was reminded of the first time Cloud comforted her in the flower garden outside Aerith's home in Sector 5. She was crying into the chiseled chest of a man who didn't quite know how to respond, only this time, the strong, trepid arms that eventually wrapped around her bore no armbands to dig into her spine, and the owner was experienced enough to know his own strength and how not to crush a woman.

"I saw Cloud yesterday," Tifa finally said into the part of his chest exposed by his unbuttoned shirt, which was now moist with salty tears.

Reno closed his eyes as his nostrils flared in brief disgust. _Of course_ this was about Cloud, what else could upset Tifa this much? He tightened his hold on her ever so slightly, struggling to reconcile the fact that her closeness was releasing something from him he did not understand and didn't want to acknowledge. It didn't help that her sobbing caused her body to throb against him in a most tantalizing way. He snuffed the urge within to make a sexual comment at that moment, opting instead to just stay silent. He had "comforted" Elena before, but that consisted of teasing her or telling her to "suck it up and get back to work," and he didn't think either approach would end well with Tifa.

 _Mister First Class_ had done some real damage to her, this much Reno could tell, but at this moment he wasn't sure he wanted to be "that guy" – the one that listened to her complain about another man.

She would have laughed when he gently patted her on the back as if to say "there, there," were she not so distraught over what Cloud had said. She didn't even know why she reached out to Reno in a way she didn't with the two members of AVALANCHE with which she had traveled. Maybe it was precisely _because_ Reno wasn't a member of AVALANCHE who had always assumed Tifa and Cloud would end up together. Or maybe it was just because he was _there_.

"Ya know," he said when she didn't elaborate, "I always thought that guy was a jagweed."

Tifa made a noise into his chest that sounded half like a sob and half like a chuckle. She didn't let him go, and he might have tried to continue to release his complaints about Strife if it made her feel better, but as he opened his mouth again, the front door of the room opened abruptly and Rude flew inside backwards, struggling to stay on his feet. Vincent walked forward, pointing his gun at the Turk.

Tifa didn't give them time to notice the compromising position she was in, instinctively shoving Reno's chest to send him flying backward as well. Even though she had become friendly with Reno and Rude, Vincent didn't know that, and she quickly fell into her old fighting stance as the ex-Turk approached the current Turk. It was all too easy for her to return to the familiarity: If there was AVALANCHE and Turks around, there was fighting.

Reno didn't seem surprised or angry by her move, as he had accepted the possibility that they would have to fight due to their opposing interests. What surprised Tifa, however, was the half smirk on his face as he was thrown back, noticeable for only a second or two, but present in its truest form. An expression she hadn't seen in the alley due to the lack of light, and one he quickly wiped from his face as if he hadn't intended for her to see it. He had a look in his eyes that she had only seen once before. It was the same look Cloud had in his eyes when he removed her shirt for the first time under the Highwind. Reno was looking at her as if she were naked before him.

_Oh God, he's turned on when I hit him!_

Reno's back slammed against the wall opposite Tifa; 30 years of dust falling on top of him and several bricks dislodging on impact. Everything happened so fast, he could still see Tifa's arms raised from her powerful shove – the same arms that were just wrapped around him seeking comfort.

He looked toward Rude, who was defending himself from Valentine's bullets, then back toward Tifa wish a shrug and a look that seemed to say, "guess we should join them." He moved his left hand down to unhook his EMR from its clip on his belt and with one fluid flick of his wrist, extended the weapon, his thumb discretely moving the intensity dial all the way down to the left.

During a romp with one particularly _sadistic_ woman – God, rest her soul, if she actually had one – Reno discovered, through trial-and-error, that lowering the setting on his mag rod (he had never done that before) would drop the voltage to within range of the electric wires typically set atop fences for chocobos. The shock would bite, but not enough to keep someone down; it was just enough to warn the chocobos not to reach over the fence. That wasn't particularly interesting to Reno, but what _was_ interesting was when he figured out that aiming his weapon – at the lower intensity – at a woman's lower abdomen, atop a particularly sensitive cluster of nerves, could send shockwaves of pleasure throughout her body.

Reno now slowly approached Tifa with his weapon set at this lower setting, his eyes trained on her without any malice. He leapt toward her with his weapon outstretched, but she easily dodged his telegraphed attack. She didn't know what he was planning, but the look in his eyes told her he didn't want to follow through.

She had fought him before and never seen that earlier primal look in his eyes, making her wonder whether she had really seen it at all. Of course, she couldn't really tell what his expression was through the yellow-tinted (and rather opaque) walls of the pyramid he kept placing around her atop the Sector 7 pillar. The only other time she had fought him was outside Gongaga. His expression wasn't _that_ savage, but at the time she figured he just enjoyed the thought of killing her and her friends. She never thought that his inhuman smile was because he was sexually aroused from fighting.

She gagged at the thought as she backed away from him. He was just casually strolling toward her, tapping the shaft of his mag rod on his shoulder, his eyes shifting to the sides to check for Rude or Vincent before he mouthed what looked like the words, "I'm sorry." She continued to back away, somewhat confused by his actions. He didn't seem to want to hurt her or even fight her, caught up in his partner's battle just as she was, but he was brandishing that mag rod. Even if it was just for show, she feared its sting.

Tifa had been shot, stabbed, punched, _slapped_ , and set on fire, but nothing compared to the electricity from that mag rod of Reno's. Hours after their fight in Gongaga, she could feel the electrical charges pulsing in her veins. Each time the pain would flare up she thought she was having a heart attack, and no amount of cure spells could make it stop. The pain stopped when it wanted to stop.

She ran toward Reno and performed a somersault kick to his chest, causing him to stagger. Like him, she was in a mode to protect her friend, though she currently had no grudge with the Turks. She landed a few feet from Reno and he motioned with his fingers for her to come at him. She shook her head and prepared to kick him again, not at full strength, but even still he caught her foot and held it until she lost her balance and fell against the nearby wall. He turned back to see that Rude had just gotten a few shots in on Valentine, and though both of the other men were focused on their own battle, they could easily see Reno and Tifa.

Reno sighed and closed the distance between him and Tifa, pinning her to the wall. "Sorry for this, Lockhart," he said, somehow both sincere and feral at the same time. Tifa couldn't believe that a _Turk_ , especially _this_ Turk, had apologized to her twice in one day.

They both knew the fight wouldn't look real if the mag rod didn't spark, but when he brought it to her lower abdomen, she just looked at him, frightened and confused. Tifa had tensed up in preparation for the jolt but hadn't expected it to feel…good? She shook her head. No, that wasn't possible. What had he just done to her? Her belly felt warm but not like she had just been electrocuted. She stumbled along the wall to get away from him, realizing this pretend fight was having a strange effect on her.

Blood rushed to her face as she turned beet red. This wasn't how the mag rod was supposed to feel. She must be going crazy. She must be weird. This couldn't possibly be a normal reaction to getting thousands of volts pumped into one's abdomen.

She had backed herself into the corner of the lab now, with Reno still in mock pursuit. _He must know_.

There was no other reason why he would have targeted her so specifically. The last time they fought, he had lashed out at various pressure points on her body and none of them felt as good as her abdomen had a second ago. Reno kept looking over his shoulder to see that Rude and Vincent were still fighting as he approached Tifa, again positioning the mag rod and preparing to lower it to her, his face letting her know he wanted this to stop. Tifa decided she would make it so.

"Vincent! Rude! Stop!" she yelled to the front of the room, causing the two men to turn toward her abruptly, weapons still raised. "Vincent, the Turks aren't our enemy anymore."

Vincent tilted his head in confusion as his eyes narrowed, continuing to hold the Death Penalty in Rude's direction. Tifa passed Reno and moved to the front of the room, the heartache she was experiencing earlier replaced by the determination to stop more bloodshed between AVALANCHE and the Turks.

"They're here for Hojo's information," Vincent calmly informed her.

Tifa shot Rude a questioning look before she turned back to Reno, who placed his hands in his pockets and averted his gaze from her as he started to whistle.

"I should have known," she said dismissively, shaking her head. She hadn't really thought Reno was just stalking her, but with everything else on her mind, she hadn't put together the obvious.

Reno turned away to hide the smirk that had crept onto his face again. Just that little bout with Tifa had been exhilarating, and the noise she made when he pressed the mag rod to her abdomen wouldn't stop repeating in his head, as brief as it was.

Maybe he had gone too far, but he knew the sound Tifa made wasn't a cry of pain. He had seen her in her most intimate and vulnerable state. He had wanted that for _years_ , but it wasn't enough. It was one thing to do that to her with his mag rod, but he wanted to see her like that while using his _other_ weapon. No, not the pistol (cheesy, he knew).

He had to regain his composure before the thoughts of making his own attempt at her started up again. She still hadn't answered Rude's date request, and even though Reno was fighting this strange addiction, he was loyal to his partner.

"What do the Turks want with Hojo's notes?" Vincent asked.

"Official Turk business, yo," Reno said with a smirk and wink in Tifa's direction.

Tifa stifled a groan.

"It's Shinra property," Rude explained.

"Why now?" Vincent asked, his deep-set eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"The monster attacks are increasing. Shinra wants to do its part to save the world," Rude said.

Reno laced his fingers behind his head and puffed out his chest.

"Can't let AVALANCHE get all the glory again, you know?" he said, rather sarcastically. Tifa didn't notice.

"Glory?" Tifa interjected bitterly. "It's not about glory! It's about doing what's _right_! Ever thought about that?"

It was Reno's turn to look away. He suspected her sudden outburst wasn't really directed at him, but he couldn't argue with her words. He was tempted to say they were just following orders, but he remembered her reaction the last time he said that. He figured he would be pushing his luck after his stunt with the mag rod. He had long since given up wanting to see her angry for his own gratification.

"Why does it have to be a competition?" Vincent asked.

Everyone turned to look at him. No one had an answer. There really was no reason why Shinra and AVALANCHE couldn't work together to help save the world this time. But orders were orders, and Rufus wanted Shinra to get the credit.

"It doesn't _have_ to be, but that makes it more fun," was all Reno could offer. "Besides, we have scientists who can decipher this junk, what were you gonna do? You understand Hojo's notes? Hmm? Gonna give em to your dog? Maybe the little ninja's been hiding a science degree?"

"We've out-maneuvered you thus far," Tifa responded quickly. "And if I recall, Shinra scientists are the reason we're all in this mess anyway!"

Reno scoffed, again suspecting her attitude wasn't meant for him and that her dig at Shinra was about something other than the current situation. He found himself a little bitter that he had tried to comfort her not 10 minutes earlier and now she was lashing out at him.

"You know what, Rude? I don't feel like fighting over some scribbles, let's let them have a look first, we probably already got everything we need from the Shinra building," he said. "Might as well head to the bar."

"Nibelheim's a dry town," Tifa informed him snidely.

Reno groaned loudly and stormed out of the room with Rude close behind.

"What was that all about?" Vincent asked, though his voice indicated he did not actually care for an answer.

Tifa watched Reno leave in a huff and felt guilty. He had been so kind to her earlier, and she didn't intend to work herself up and take out her anger on him.

Without another word, Vincent turned on his heels, his ragged red cape sweeping the air behind him, and left the room to return to the library. Tifa took one last look around the room she was in, but there were no documents or anything else of use.

She stood up, still a little shaky from her brief stint with the mag rod, and joined Vincent to inspect the room next door. They remained there for hours, searching and reading and gathering what they thought might be of informational value.

Though it would not help them in their current mission, Tifa spent some time reading Hojo's detailed notes on Cloud and Zack's imprisonment and the experiments run on them. Cloud had told her what he could remember from the years he spent in that tube. Hojo's handwriting left something to be desired, but Tifa managed to make out what she thought he had written.

It didn't give her any additional insight into Cloud's persona or give her any answers to the questions he left unanswered in The Forgotten Capital.

She depressed herself – again – with thoughts of him as they continued to search the library. When at last they had checked the last few books and were thoroughly covered in dust (and more than a few spiders), they gathered what little they had found and returned to the hotel.

Tifa showered first, letting the hot water cleanse her body of not only the dirt from the mansion, but also of Reno. There were just two small red welts on her belly from his EMR instead of the usual burn marks. Her insides quaked with the desire to feel that kind of physical pleasure again – she just hoped it wouldn't be in the same situation. Maybe Shinra sold mag rods for home use?

It was dark when she finished bathing. She dried herself off and dressed in her typical midriff-baring tank top and miniskirt. She looked out the window to see a full moon atop a sky swirling with shades of blue. Even with all her travels, the Nibelheim sky was still her favorite, so she left the inn to climb up the old well where promises had been made once.

She sat at the top of the well, the moonlight illuminating her skin as if she were made of pearl. She looked up at the sky and crossed her legs, which were hanging over the edge of the structure that seemed so much taller when she was a little girl.

She brought one of her legs up to hug her knee to her chest. This was where it all started. It all started with a promise. One day, when she was trapped, her hero would come save her. Cloud had told her he had broken that promise many times, but she always thought he followed through. He had been the one to move her off the stairs after Sephiroth slashed her and rest her against one of the experiment tanks in the reactor at Mt. Nibel. He had come for her, just like he promised. It didn't matter that she had already been sliced up; he was there, even if she didn't know it at the time. And he was there for AVALANCHE, though he hadn't wanted to help at first. He saved her countless times during their last adventure, and she knew he would have saved her from the gas chamber if he hadn't had Mako poisoning. He was there for her when no one else was, and it was he who caught her in the Northern Crater and got her to safety.

As she gazed up into the twinkling galaxy above her, her lips curled into a slight smile, the same smile she always had when she looked up at the stars. She was at peace, despite everything going on in her heart. The night sky reflected in her eyes as she became so lost in her memories that she didn't hear the rakish young Turk scaling the well in the twilight.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Reno asked as he plopped down next to her.

She startled.

"You wouldn't understand," she replied flatly.

"Try me."

Tifa let out a breath and leaned back on her hands, continuing to look upward instead of at Reno. He took the opportunity to examine her figure in the moonlight. Her shoulders were back, raising her chest; her back was slightly arched, accentuating her taut stomach, and her bent leg let her skirt rise up just enough to give him scandalous thoughts.

"It's just that…" she trailed off, snapping him back to reality. "I've just always liked watching the stars."

Reno nodded and looked up as well. Growing up in the slums, he didn't see the real sky until he was a Turk. After that, he was out on missions and never really cared to just sit around doing nothing, nor did he find beauty in sunsets and nature and all that girlie shit. Metal and power, that's what he loved. Looking up at the sky now, even though it was so different than he had ever seen before, still offered him nothing in the way of clarity.

"Why?" he asked her. "What's so great about them? They're just balls of gas waiting to explode."

Tifa scoffed and shook her head. "Told ya you wouldn't understand."

Reno smiled to himself and let his legs dangle over the ledge of the well, his hands clasped in his lap. "Hope I didn't hurt ya back there, thought we were tryin' to make it look real, yo."

Tifa's expression was stern when she shook her head. She released her leg and crossed it over her other one.

"Of course you didn't, I'm pretty tough, you know," she said simply. Reno could swear he detected a note of sweetness in her voice.

"Yeah, you are," he said, staring directly at her until she met his gaze. She sensed he wasn't just talking about their fight earlier.

An awkward silence fell between them. She didn't know how to respond to him, her mind clouded with angst over Cloud and the growing familiarity with Reno. Somehow his presence was comforting in this moment. She had rarely shared her stargazing with anyone else, preferring to take quiet time to reflect. Aerith had joined her once, and of course the flower girl figured out exactly how the stars enamored Tifa without even having to ask.

Sometimes Cloud had worried Tifa was depressed whenever she watched the stars, but after she explained to him why she loved to look up at the night sky, he began leaving her alone or occasionally bringing a blanket to wrap her in on cold nights along with hot cocoa. Every once in a while, he'd sit with her and she'd rest her head on his shoulder as they sat in comfortable silence.

"So, uh, how'd you like my mag rod this time?" he said seductively, testing the waters as to where her mood was currently.

Tifa snapped her head back to look at him. Her move was so intense Reno thought she might get whiplash. Her expression told him she had suspected he knew what he was doing with the weapon back in the basement. Reno chuckled.

"I think you liked it," he said matter-of-factly.

"I can't believe you."

"Who can? I'm a pretty unbelievable guy," he said, leaning back against the well with his hands behind his head, an air of smugness settling over him.

Tifa tightened her lips into a slight smile and stuck out her jaw. With one hand she pinched his side, hard, and with the other she pushed Reno off the well. He flailed and yelped on his way down, causing her to finally laugh openly. He scrambled back up next to her.

"Hey! What was that for?"

Tifa cocked her head to one side and looked at him with one cheek puffed out from sucking in the side of her lips.

"How did you even figure that out, wait—" she said, immediately holding up a hand before shaking her head. "I don't want to know."

"You wanna go again?" Reno asked, this time leaning over to look into her eyes with a grin on his face.

"No!" she protested.

"Had to try," he said, leaning back on his arms and looking up at the stars. "So, you wanna tell me what happened back there?"

Tifa brought her knee up to her chin again and wrapped her arms around her leg, her face dropping along with her mood.

"He didn't leave because of the headaches or nightmares, he just didn't want to be with me," she admitted, holding her breath to keep from crying. She still didn't know why she was opening up to _Reno_ , of all people, but he seemed like the best option at the moment, sad as that was. Neither Vincent nor Rude ever had much to say, and she knew that if she were to pour her heart out only to get a grunt in response, she would totally lose it. Reno at least offered a potential conversation or smart aleck remark to take her mind off her anguish.

With everything going on in her life – the attacks, Cloud – she just wanted a little comfort. She just needed something stable. That certainly wasn't Reno, but at least he was here with her right now. She leaned her head against his shoulder, letting the fact that he was a Turk and her former enemy disappear for a moment.

Reno looked down at her, surprised by her action. He had come out here to bicker, have a little fun, and go back to his room. He hadn't expected her to seem so amenable to his presence.

He decided to take a chance and put his arm around her shoulders.

Well, this day had taken an odd turn. He never thought that he'd find Tifa Lockhart in his arms on this mission – twice. Elena had once called him the "Rebound King," though he dismissed her accusation. He didn't take advantage of drunk or sad women – he actually avoided them. No fun in the hunt if the prey is already wounded. Yet now he found himself truly wondering if Tifa was only seeking his embrace because of Cloud.

He couldn't deny the heat he felt throughout his body when he held her, even if he was trying to avoid it. Rude could leave the inn at any moment and catch them. Reno was finding it harder and harder to defer to his partner when it came to the woman beside him. It might have just been his ego, but she seemed to be warming up to him in a way she wasn't with Rude.

He only cuddled with women long enough for them to fall asleep or think they might have a future with him, then he'd disappear into the night. Sometimes he didn't even fake it and just rolled over and passed out or made an excuse to leave right then. Holding Tifa, however, was some new kind of feeling to him.

_Get out now man, before she casts her spell._

Nah, he would stay awhile longer. He straightened up his back to reaffirm his dignity.

"Where were you?" she asked softly, referring to his prolonged absence from her bar. Her question delighted him.

"Official business, yo," he offered. "You know, 'Turk stuff.'"

"So, how many people did you kill this time?" Tifa asked, lifting her head suddenly and looking at him accusatorially.

"You cut deep, Lady," he responded. "This is 'Turk stuff'; information gathering, non-violent. Like I said, we don't do that 'Turk shit' anymore."

"Right," she said, rolling her eyes.

She eyed him skeptically but kept the distance between them. Maybe he didn't kill people as part of his job anymore, but could he ever truly atone for what he had already done? She sat back up to look at the stars again, leaning back on her hands and crossing one leg over the other as another awkward silence filled the air.

"You know, I thought about you the whole time," he said, his voice heady. He was close enough for Tifa to smell his cologne – that musky scent that reminded her of the businessmen she would watch when she was a teenager, how they looked so confident and important. The scent was tainted with the stench of cigarettes, but it all added to his mystique to create something that was distinctly Reno.

Reno again chided himself for his lack of control around the barmaid. He couldn't say these things to her, even though he wanted her. Rude had dibs. He knew he needed to just walk away from her so that he would stop whatever it was he was doing, but he couldn't. Not yet, anyway.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, searching his eyes for confirmation that he was lying.

She knew how he operated, how he filled women's minds with ideas that he had eyes for only them when he didn't. She wasn't about to get sucked in, no matter how hard up she was or how much she missed Cloud and wished _he_ would tell her these things.

"Oh yeah," Reno repeated, without the question.

She sighed and looked back up at the stars. Reno wasn't going to weasel his way into her pants just because she was heartbroken and vulnerable from Cloud. She wouldn't forgive what he had done to her and her friends in the past so easily. Begrudging acceptance was all he would get from her.

"Gil for your thoughts, Lockhart?"

She didn't answer for a few moments. When she did, she kept her eyes fixated on the sky.

"Everything. The past. What's going on with all the monsters. What's going to happen…" she said.

"A little vague, Lockhart," Reno responded. "We'll figure out the monster situation. The Turks are on it."

That didn't provide her any comfort.

"What then?" she asked softly, as if she were trying not to cry.

Reno suspected they weren't talking about the increase in monster attacks. Somehow it always came back to Strife. Maybe he should let her use him as a rebound, just so she could be more open to Rude. Nah, that was a selfish thought.

He hoped she wouldn't return to her question. He knew he should leave her now. He could tell she was in a "mood" and this just wasn't his department. Rude would probably be good with this stuff. He was a good listener. But Reno didn't want to leave Tifa right now. For one thing, Rude could come out any moment and take over. For another, being next to her felt _good_.

It was a strange feeling to him. He would have much preferred to be doing something else with her instead of sitting next to her while she wallowed in misery.

"I should go…" she said after another prolonged silence.

Reno had to resist the urge to ask her to stay. He had already gone too far today and needed to figure out how to get her out of his head so Rude would have a chance. Going cold turkey might not be possible, but if he could refocus his efforts into pushing her toward his partner, maybe he could keep their friendship intact.

Tifa hopped off the well when Reno didn't object and walked toward the inn.

"Good night, Lockhart," he said in a tone she wasn't used to from the Turk.

"Good night, Reno," she said before entering the inn.

Reno stared after her a moment, his thin legs spread wide and dangling over the edge of the well, his hands clasped together between his knees. A smile graced his lips – not his usual smirk, but a genuine smile. He looked up at the stars, trying again to glean from them whatever knowledge and inspiration Tifa was able to receive. He came up empty.

* * *

Tifa opened the door to her hotel room to find Vincent in his half-awake, half-sleeping state on the bed. He was there, but something was missing: All the documents they collected that day from the Shinra mansion. They had been sitting on Tifa's bed since there was no desk in the room, but they were gone.

"Vincent!" she yelled, snapping him awake. "Where are the files?"

Vincent looked around for a moment, unconcerned.

"I thought you took them."

"What?"

"They were gone when I got out of the shower, thought you went somewhere to study them."

"Why would I do that?"

Vincent shrugged. He could really be dense sometimes.

"You didn't hear anything?"

"No. I was in the shower."

Tifa rubbed her forehead. _The Turks_. Reno was acting sort of sweet just to distract her while Rude stole the information. She wondered why Reno was the distraction instead of Rude. Maybe the quieter Turk was still too nervous to be around her.

How could she think for one minute that Reno was being sincere? Everything was an act; a ploy to get her into bed. He had acted like he might actually _care_ about her out there on the well and when he held her in the basement of the mansion.

 _Of course_ it was a ruse. Nothing about Reno was honest. He wanted to sleep with her and nothing else; his loyalties still lay with Shinra.

Her phone vibrated.

"1 text message from Reno."

She rolled her eyes and checked it.

"Sorry, about this, too," was all it said.

He was a rat, alright. A scoundrel. He wanted her? Well, he wouldn't have her.


	13. Ruthless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "When was the last time you got laid?" - Rude.

"Are you feeling okay, partner?"

Reno snapped his head to look at Rude, surprised by the question. He had been tapping his foot along with the music in the elevator and drumming the fingers of his left hand on the handrail as they traveled to Rufus' floor. It was the same thing he'd always done in elevators – minus the snarky conversation.

"Yeah, why would you ask?"

"I don't know, you just haven't seemed like yourself since we got back from Nibelheim."

They'd been back in Edge for a few days now and hadn't gone to Seventh Heaven; too ashamed to show their faces after stealing the documents Tifa and Vincent had obtained from the Shinra mansion. Rude was in a mood that only Reno could detect as being sour. The bald Turk hadn't gotten an answer to his date question from Tifa before the Nibelheim trip and was certain the answer would be "no" now.

Reno had been uncharacteristically quiet since they returned, his mind swirling with thoughts of his time spent with the barmaid in Nibelheim and how even though nothing serious had happened, he felt like he had betrayed his best friend. For the first time in his life, he was afraid of what he might say if he spoke. He had tried to push her from his mind, but there she was, any moment he didn't have something to do – and the past few days had been slow around the office.

"Nah, I'm good," he said lazily and unconvincingly.

Rude eyed his partner from over the frames of his dark glasses, searching for a hint as to what was bothering Reno. He knew it had something to do with Nibelheim, but Reno wouldn't explain.

It had been Rude who spied Tifa out on the well that night in Nibelheim and, after a quick joke from the redhead about Vincent "sleeping like the dead," decided to send Reno out to distract her, since the bald Turk was too nervous to approach. When Rude left Tifa's room with the documents, he looked back out the window at the well and saw that Tifa was angry at Reno about something, but the older Turk just chalked it up to his partner making some stupid comment.

"When was the last time you got laid?" Rude asked Reno after the redhead went silent again. He thought at the very least it would get Reno to start talking again – the man loved to brag about his latest conquests. Lately, however, Rude had noticed Reno either had no conquests to boast about or simply no longer spoke about them.

"None of your business, _partner_."

Rude pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose and folded his arms. A smirk crossed his lips ever so briefly.

"That long, huh?"

Reno thought back to his last one-night stand. It was months ago, just before he and Rude started chatting up Tifa. He pulled at his already loose collar, hoping Rude hadn't noticed that as well.

"Maybe I'm maturing," he said, pronouncing the hard "T." He had turned 30 during that time, maybe it was like a wall that would close him off from his previous dating past and open up a new future for him.

"I remember a time, not two years ago, when you told me that if you ever became a hopeless romantic like Cloud Strife that I should punch you in the face," Rude offered as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened.

"Don't worry about me, partner, that ain't my style," Reno replied.

He should probably find a woman to bed soon; it'd hopefully take his mind off Tifa anyway and help him deal with some of this pent-up frustration. Late night fantasies just didn't cut it.

The two Turks walked down the hall and past Rufus' receptionist, who motioned for them to go ahead and enter the president's office.

"Found anything useful yet, boss?" Reno asked cheerfully as he and Rude entered.

The president of Shinra had mountains of papers and files stacked around his office and on his desk and was at that very moment looking over a document. Though neither Reno nor Rude had seen him leave his office – or even look up from Hojo's research – in days, he looked as well-groomed and debonair as always.

"No," Rufus said, without acknowledging the Turks' presence. "Thanks to your overzealous acquisition."

"Haven't the new scientists been looking over it?" Reno asked.

He hated when Rufus belittled his work. The president's father may have been a hard man, but Rufus was every bit as ruthless, and he seemed to have an especially sore spot for Reno specifically. Reno knew that if he and Rude _hadn't_ brought back as much from the old Shinra building, Rufus would have been just as irritated with them. They couldn't win.

"They have, but remember we don't have as many as we had in Midgar," Rufus turned over a page. "Most of our staff lived on the upper plate, so they were killed during Meteor."

Rufus rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and ring finger, then stood up to face the Turks, who had approached his desk.

"I'd like the two of you to take some of these documents and give them a thorough read for something useful," Rufus said, motioning to a smaller stack of files that had been separated from the rest.

It was the last thing Reno wanted to do, and he knew Rude wouldn't be too keen on the assignment either. First, they were turned into delivery boys and now they were readers? What was next, getting Rufus' coffee? Reno imagined Tseng wasn't being forced to read through all this stuff.

"Tseng and Elena have already been working through what you brought from Nibelheim," Rufus said, as if he were reading Reno's mind. "Good work getting everything from AVALANCHE, by the way."

It was one of those rare compliments from Rufus that made Reno think he wasn't on the verge of getting fired. He looked at Rude, who offered no expression of commiseration, before walking to the stack of boxes. He plopped down on the ground, cross-legged, and began sifting through a file.

"In your _own_ office," Rufus insisted.

The president didn't see Reno's look of dissatisfaction, but nonetheless, the Turk complied. He stood up and grabbed one of the file boxes while Rude grabbed the other two and headed for the door.

"And Reno," Rufus said.

Oh no, not again. Here it comes. What unfair limitation was the president going to place on him this time?

"Try not to antagonize the barmaid, she's our best source of information on AVALANCHE."

Reno shot Rude a nasty look as they left Rufus' office.

"The fuck, yo?" he said once they were in the receptionist's area.

"I told him they attacked us and we retaliated, that's all," Rude said, without a hint of guilt or persuasion in his voice.

"Still, man, he's always gotta get that shot in, ya know?"

Rude grunted in response.

The duo returned to the Turks' office several floors down. Elena was at her desk, dutifully examining documents. Ever the overachiever, Elena had her own notebook filled with impressions, speculation, and quotes from the information she had reviewed. Reno could see colorful tabs stuck to the pages and a brand new pack of different colored highlighters on her desk. He bet she was a teacher's pet in school, too.

He gave her a sneer as he passed by her desk – which she didn't notice – before dropping his box of papers on his own desk at the back of the room. Tseng had his own office attached to the room, but Reno, being second-in-command, had the largest desk of the three remaining Turks. In the old Shinra building he also had his own office. If those walls could talk… Probably why Rufus wouldn't let him have an office to himself in the new building.

Not that Reno hadn't made use of his desk after hours when everyone else had gone home, of course. He had to break in that shiny new desk _somehow_ , and he refused to bring women back to his apartment. Couldn't let them know where he lived, in case they got a little _too_ attached.

Reno sat down at his chair and propped his feet up on the desk, flipping through a file with zero interest. He rolled his head back and looked up at the ceiling to let out a groan. Rude had just accepted Rufus' orders and was quietly reviewing materials at his own desk.

Reno felt he should make an effort like everyone else and picked up the file once again. He was able to read the first paragraph before the words started blurring in front of him and he lost concentration due to boredom and annoyance. He looked up at the clock. _7:58 p.m._ He had been staring at the same piece of paper for two hours.

He had gotten through one entire file, though he wouldn't have been able to tell anyone what he read. His mind kept wandering back to Tifa and the way she had reached out for him back in Nibelheim. It was really the only thing he had thought about since they left the village. He just couldn't get that woman out of his head.

"I think it's time for a drink, yo," Reno said.

"Where do you want to go tonight?" Rude asked.

They had tried to find a new bar for the past couple days, like they had when they'd been unceremoniously kicked out of Seventh Heaven before, but nothing felt quite as inviting as their usual haunt. Even though some of the other bars had attractive bartenders, none of them had the quick wit or world-saving experience of Tifa Lockhart. The Turks had traveled the world and fought any number of battles, so they sometimes failed to connect with people who had been more or less sheltered.

"Think it's time to head back to Seventh Heaven?" Reno suggested. Rude sighed.

"She's probably still mad," he replied.

"Wasn't it you who said you would keep trying to apologize? Do you really want to sulk around some _other_ bar again tonight?"

"Not really."

"Then we might as well get this over with."

Rude grunted in begrudging approval and set down the file he had been reading. Both men stood up from their desks and headed for the door, though neither looked particularly excited.

Elena just rolled her eyes. Reno and Rude kept bottles of liquor in their desks and had been pouring drinks since they came back to the office with their own pile of documents.

She had also sensed something happened in Nibelheim that Reno didn't want to talk about. She couldn't say for sure what had led to it, but Reno had an unmistakable look of guilt plastered to his face since they returned to Edge. She somehow didn't think it had to do with stealing the documents.

The night shift at the Edge police department was somehow better than the day shift, as there always seemed to be fewer monsters on the streets. Even still, the Turks has to battle some fiends they recognized from the southern continent.

Reno held up his hand to halt Rude once they were outside Seventh Heaven. He sidled up to the front window to peer in before entering.

"Just wanna check what kinda mood she's in," he said, squinting unnecessarily.

She was standing behind the bar talking to a customer. She looked… ravishing, like she did back when Cloud was still around and they were a couple. _Maybe he came back?_ She was smiling, confident, and natural – a far cry different than she had been the last time the Turks saw her.

"How does she look?" Rude asked quietly, as if Tifa would be able to hear them from inside.

Reno gave Rude a "thumbs up," rather than say what was actually on his mind. Rude nodded and the two men entered the bar.

* * *

Tifa had enough. She woke up that morning determined to stop moping over Cloud, even though their encounter had been just a few days earlier. She had resumed crying herself to sleep at night and hiding her tears from customers at the bar by stowing away in the storage room. She'd avoided Marle's orphanage to keep herself from bringing the older woman down again with her problems. She zoned out at the theater while trying to hold herself together.

She was tired of feeling this way and letting Cloud get to her. She didn't want to be some pathetic, heartbroken woman who struggled to function without a man in her life. She needed to do something for herself, something to boost her confidence. As silly as it was, she remembered the last time she needed such a boost was in the Sector 7 slums after Cloud had agreed to go out with her to celebrate their reunion.

She had been devastated after she watched him plummet from the Sector 5 reactor, but she somehow knew he hadn't died. She had just gotten him back into her life, she didn't think she would lose him so quickly. To take her mind off his disappearance (back then) she had enlisted Marle's help to find an outfit for her night out with Cloud.

* * *

_"What did he suggest?" Marle asked again when they were in the clothing store in Wall Market._

_"He said…. 'something refined,'" Tifa reiterated, unsure herself what that really meant. "What does that mean? Elegant?"_

_"That's what I would imagine," Marle answered. "But he's a man – and a SOLDIER at that – let's spice it up a little bit."_

_"You don't think…" Tifa giggled, "he'd buy a suit, do you?"_

_"Can you picture him in a suit with that big sword on his back?" Marle chuckled with the younger girl._

_"No, I suppose not. Okay let's look for something nice, but eye catching."_

_The two women began sifting through items on the clothing racks, sliding hangers along the bar and occasionally studying a dress to see if it fit Cloud's request._

_"How about this?" Marle asked, holding up a floor-length red gown with a high slit along the side._

_"That's beautiful, but I think it might be too fancy," Tifa said._

_Marle checked the price tag. "It's also way out of our price range," she said, putting the dress back on the rack._

_They continued searching, finding a couple pink options that Tifa dismissed since she had told Cloud they weren't kids anymore. There were also a few overly fussy gowns with ruffles and ballroom skirts that again seemed like overkill. Tifa held out a hanger with a short black kimono dress on it._

_"What do you think of this one?" she asked Marle._

_The older woman tilted her head and brought her hand to her chin as she studied it._

_"Hmm, I think that's more exotic than refined," she said._

_"Well, I clearly don't know what he meant then," Tifa said, shoving the dress back on the rack in frustration. This was going to be her big night with Cloud, the boy she hadn't stop thinking about since he made a promise to her and left to join SOLDIER. She wanted to impress him, and he said he wanted her to look refined._

_"Don't get discouraged, Tifa," Marle soothed. "Here, look at this one. The blue will really bring out the color in his eyes – and you'd look good in any color."_

_Tifa let go of the fabric between her fingers to see what Marle had found. Marle was holding the end of a short, low-cut blue dress with an open back. Tifa thought she must be joking at first._

_"Seriously Marle?" she asked, but the older woman just looked at her with sincerity. "Do you think that could be considered refined topside?"_

_"I think it will be_ considered _by Cloud," Marle said suggestively. Tifa giggled._

_"I'll try it on," she said, taking the dress from Marle and heading into a fitting room. A few minutes later she popped her head out, trying to get Marle's attention. "Psst, Marle! Do you think they have a bigger size?"_

_"That's the only one I saw," Marle replied. "Let's see how it looks."_

_Tifa pulled the curtain to the dressing room open and walked out, tugging at the hem of the dress. She felt like she was wearing lingerie rather than an actual dress, but Marle seemed enthused._

_"He's gonna_ love _it," the older woman said. Tifa smiled wider than she expected as her cheeks flushed._

_"You think so?" she asked, turning around to get a look at the back of the dress in the mirror. It was shorter than her normal black skirt, and the only thing holding the dress on her was the halter clasp behind her neck. She did like to imagine Cloud's face when he saw her in it – if he ever came back._

_"I know so," Marle said, her eyelids heavy. "A boy like Cloud won't know what to say when he sees you in that."_

_Tifa couldn't help but blush harder._ A boy like Cloud? _She realized she didn't even know what Marle meant by that, but she trusted the older woman's judgment._

_"I think I have enough gil for this one…" Tifa said, rifling through her purse at the checkout counter after she had changed back. The young man working the register had his eyes fixated on her, nearly popping out of his head. He had seen her come out of the dressing room wearing the blue dress._

_"If not I'll take care of the rest," Marle said, stepping up beside Tifa._

_"Oh, no, you don't have to—"_

_"I insist. I want you to be happy."_

_"Thanks, Marle."_

_Tifa had tried the dress on about a half-dozen more times when she got home, practicing her laugh and responses to what Cloud might say to her. She wanted to play it cool. "Oh, this old thing?" she'd say if he asked about the dress. She was just changing back into her regular clothes for the fifth time when she heard a commotion outside._

* * *

Tifa remembered how confident she felt in that dress when she was waiting for Cloud and how Marle had lifted her spirits after he fell from the plate. She knew that what she needed right now was to do something just for herself.

She gave the orphans a lesson that morning, apologizing for being away so long. They missed her, so she promised not to go so long between sessions unless it was an emergency. Being around the kids definitely took her mind off of everything else in her life and she didn't want to spend any more time wallowing in self-pity back home.

"Hey Marle, you busy today?" she asked the older woman after she had served their customary tea.

"The tutor will be here soon, so the children will be in lessons all afternoon. What do you need?"

"Remember way back when – in Midgar – when you helped me find that perfect dress?"

"Of course I do, you looked so good in that dress."

"Do you think you could help me pick out something new?"

Tifa hadn't seen the Turks since Nibelheim. Good riddance, after what they had done. She would have thought they'd be in the bar immediately after to gloat about their theft. Still, without them she had lost consistent customers, and she thought they had grown friendly. Reno even seemed to give her the slightest hint that there was more to him than sex and Shinra before confirming that, no, there wasn't when he and Rude stole everything she and Vincent had discovered in the Shinra manor.

As cliché as it seemed, she knew the new outfit would put her in a better mood.

She rarely went shopping, finding the practice more exhausting than a battle with, well, the Turks. Clothing makers never seemed to make anything that fit her particular body shape. If she wanted something that hugged the curves of her abdomen, her breasts would pop out. If she got something that fit her breasts, it'd hang off her midsection like she was hiding a pregnancy bump. It's frankly why she wore so many crop tops – they'd fit her upper body and she wouldn't have to worry about her midsection.

She also wasn't looking for something that didn't match her style as she didn't plan on wearing this outfit only once. Instead, she asked Marle to help "remake" her. She would be her classic self, but with a twist that would make her appear fresh and, possibly, bring in more tips to replace Rude's.

She and Marle picked out a new white tank top with extra support that sported a neckline low enough to give a hint of cleavage, but high enough to hide her scar. Her new miniskirt was pleated and made of black leather, looser than she was used to, like something a schoolgirl might wear (except much, much shorter). She purchased a new pair of comfy red ankle boots and instead of her usual black socks she decided to go with black thigh-high stockings, which Marle had suggested to help protect her legs from the monster attacks (and draw more attention from men).

She thanked Marle for her help and returned to Seventh Heaven to prepare the bar for opening. She tied her long hair near the end to keep it from flowing _everywhere_ and even though she usually didn't wear much makeup, she was sure to put on some mascara and a little powder to give her a special glow.

She checked herself out in the mirror and couldn't help but smile. She felt rejuvenated, like a whole new person even though the difference was minor. She was always happy to open the bar since it meant taking her mind off of Cloud, but she was especially excited tonight.

She sauntered to her place behind the counter once it was opened and kept up her cheerful and flirtatious mood as customers asked about her new look. She welcomed the compliments but despised the crude comments of some patrons. Either way, her mind was free of a certain chocobo-headed loner.

She thought she would escape the Turks' presence for a while longer, but sure enough, tonight was the night her luck ran out. The two thieves sauntered in around 8:30 and took up their usual seats, ignoring the scowl she shot their way. Reno flung his arm over the back of his seat and tapped his other fingers on the countertop, mentally rehearsing his first snarky comment. He needed to get in one good shot before smoothing things over for Rude. He just couldn't help himself.

Words seemed to fail him, however, when she appeared in front of him across the bar in her new outfit. He hadn't even noticed she was wearing anything different from his view on the other side of the window, so focused was he on her face – shockingly. He imagined this was how Rude felt every day of his life – unable to say more than a few words at a time. The expression on her face was breezy and wicked, similar to his own usual expression, except more feminine and alluring.

His eyes lingered at her breasts, of course. Her new tank top did provide more support, but really it just lifted her assets to a pleasing height. He could see the fabric stretched between them, holding on for dear life, just aching to let go and tear open. He was not a religious man, and was not prone to praying, but in that moment, he prayed for the fabric to fail.

He hadn't seen her walk out from behind the bar, so he hadn't seen her lower body just yet, but he could feel something was different about her other than the struggling shirt. She was carrying herself different, like a female Reno, with a swagger about her he hadn't seen before. He didn't see Cloud around, which would explain her newfound fortitude, so he wondered what was going on. When she approached them, however, her entire demeanor changed. She looked about as enthused to see them as she had been in the early days of the bar.

"You've got some nerve coming in here after that stunt you pulled in Nibelheim," she growled, crossing her arms over her chest and taking away Reno's pleasant view.

Rude held his head in shame, studying the grain of the wooden bar.

"It was not our decision," he offered. Tifa didn't accept his explanation.

"It was just business, yo," Reno said, resting an elbow on the bar and casually waving his other hand. "Besides, you should be thanking us."

Tifa and Rude both looked at him; Tifa with malignant confusion and Rude with simple concern over what the redhead would say next.

"Trust me, you do _not_ want to be reading all that crap – and now you don't have to," Reno continued.

Tifa was not persuaded. "I _wanted_ to read 'that crap.' We're trying to save the planet, you know."

Reno propped his head up on his hand. "Eh, let Shinra handle the boring part, I'm sure your AVALANCHE cronies'll let you know when the fighting starts."

Tifa fumed. She looked almost ready to kick them out of the bar again. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The two Turks watched her chest rise and fall with interest as she calmed herself. When she opened her eyes again, her expression lifted. She didn't smile, but she no longer looked on the verge of rage.

"You're paying customers, so I won't throw you out, but whatever goodwill you had built is gone," she said before turning her back to reach for two tumblers.

Reno's eyes followed her, though she said nothing more to him or Rude, clearly incensed by their trickery in Nibelheim. She placed two glasses in front of the Turks before quickly turning around to grab the liquor bottle they each preferred. Reno was now able to see the rest of her, and he blew air out of his mouth in approval, trying to keep from whistling or yowling. He liked what he saw; he liked that her skirt looked like it would give him easy access to what was underneath. And those thigh-high stockings! It was enough to drive him wild.

He liked when she was like this, even if it meant she was angry at him and Rude. At least she wasn't distraught over Strife anymore. Despite her earlier comments, he thought he might be able to smooth things over with her – for Rude, of course.

And then he saw his chance. Rude left to use the restroom, and Tifa was unfortunately positioned behind the bar at the moment.

"You look good tonight, doll," he said to her even though she had his back to him. It was a view he didn't mind.

"Thank you," she said while reaching for various liquor bottles to pour into a mixed drink.

She didn't acknowledge his presence; didn't even turn to give him a smile. Crafty. He kept his eyes trained on her, waiting for her to make even the quickest eye contact, but she wouldn't.

"Definitely prettier than those stars in Nibelheim."

She stopped for the briefest of moments before shrugging off his comment. He knew that one would stick with her. If she was trying to get back at him and Rude for Nibelheim, he had to be two steps ahead. And he was _always_ two steps ahead.

Rude returned and resumed his drinking without saying a word. Tifa was out delivering drinks to other patrons, moving her hips more as she walked, like she had done the day after she had the sex dream.

She refused to acknowledge the two Turks for the rest of the evening but continued slinging drinks their way whenever they were empty. Around 11 o'clock, Rude stood up to pay, his expression glum.

"You should stay, you haven't even tried to win her over," Reno chided as Rude placed a larger-than-usual stack of gil on the counter.

"Forget it man, we blew it," he said before slinking out of the bar without waiting for Reno.

The redhead watched him leave, considering his options. He could go console Rude, or he could stay and hopefully get Tifa to forgive them—Rude. He chose the latter.

Tifa's gaze had shifted to the door when Rude left, the chimes above alerting her to the movement. She was briefly relieved until she saw Reno still sitting at the bar, an empty glass in hand. She groaned and walked to his end of the bar to refill his drink.

"You know we didn't want to do that," he said after taking a sip of his freshly poured scotch.

"Do what? Break into my room and steal my hard work?" she seethed.

"Yeah, that," Reno said, pointing his index finger toward her while continuing to stare into his drink. "Rufus really wants to help the planet, but he still has a Shinra way of doing things."

"And you two? Still 'just following orders'?" she snapped.

Reno rolled his eyes back along with his head. She wasn't going to make this easy.

"Look, Lockhart, I'm tellin' you, that shit is boring _as hell_ to read, and that's what my life is gonna be the next week or so. You don't want that."

"What I don't want is to be lied to, manipulated, and stolen from," she shot back. "You told me you weren't doing that 'Turk shit' anymore."

The slightest twinkle appeared in Reno's eye. _Manipulated_? Did she think his kindness had been manipulation? Does that mean she _had_ been responding to him?

"Nobody died," he said calmly. She didn't relent. "Okay," he looked around to see if anyone was listening before leaning forward and lowering his voice, "we'll let you know if we find anything of value."

Tifa scoffed. Another promise from a Turk, and she had about had it up to _here_ with promises – from anyone.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I really, really hate having to read that crap. Seriously, I'd rather be on patrol duty like some grunt."

Tifa was called out to a table for another round of drinks. After she served the customers, she ignored the Turk as much as she could until closing time, when he stood his ground despite other patrons leaving. He had that look about him telling her he wanted to unburden himself again. She wanted to kick him to the curb, but figured she'd listen to his grousing like a good bartender and see what he would say to try and patch things up with her. It had better be good.

"Why do you guys keep doing things for Shinra if you don't want to?" she asked after the bar cleared and Reno was staring at half a drink.

He scratched his neck behind his ear. "Short answer? The money. Long answer? Also money, but, ah, never mind." He stopped scratching and rubbed the back of his neck instead. Tifa's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

Reno rolled his head, cracking his neck. He'd opened up to her a little before but this went beyond a little small talk about growing up. This was something only Rude knew – but he knew he'd have to let her in if he hoped to earn her trust and forgiveness… for everything.

"Shinra may have done a lot of shitty things, but it also helped a lot of people, yanno?"

Tifa said nothing. She understood what he was saying in concept: Shinra provided power which let a lot of people live comfortable lives, but it torched cities to cover up its own failures and paid the press to look the other way.

"Like, giving two worthless gangbangers from the slums a chance to make something of themselves."

"Kill people for money? How is that any better"

"Dammit, Lockhart, I'm trying here, okay?" Reno's words carried a bit of venom. "If it weren't for Shinra, Rude and I probably would have died when we were kids, and my fam—" he stopped himself. "We never woulda had a chance."

Tifa stayed silent, considering his words. Reno seemed to sense what she was thinking.

"And alla that crap Shinra did? It woulda all still happened whether Rude and I were there or not."

"Why not walk away?"

"Do you know what would happen to someone – anyone – who stood up to Shinra? We'd be hunted 'til the end of our days and shot like animals."

"I was there at the pillar, I heard you in the helicopter."

"Then you heard our hesitation and how clear we made it we were being forced to lie for Shinra."

"I remember you trying to kill me and Cloud and taunting us."

"All for show. Shinra's always watching and listening. You know what Tseng said to us when we were sulking afterward?"

"Sulking?"

"I know words, Lockhart."

"Go on."

"He said if we hadn't followed through, someone else would have done it and that 'we spared that someone of the burden of a guilty conscience.'"

"You didn't really buy that, did you?"

"Of course not, but he was right. Like I said, all that crap would have happened no matter what.

Maybe it was the alcohol in his system or maybe it was the fact she wasn't responding to his attempts to explain their circumstances, but Reno finished his drink and prepared to admit more.

"I was savin' up, thinkin' I could leave some day. Just disappear and never look back."

"And Rude? Why did he push the button and steal our documents?"

"To protect me and Tseng, and now Elena. We're the only family we got, yanno? Like you with your AVALANCHE buddies."

Tifa hadn't considered the possibility that the Turks were their own makeshift family doing whatever was necessary to protect themselves.

"We've all got blood on our hands, Lockhart," Reno continued, holding up his palms to study them as if he could see the blood. "It just washes off some of us better than others."

That one hit close to home. Tifa had always felt responsible for the innocent people who died while AVALANCHE was in operation – from the civilians who lived near the reactors that were blown up to the Shinra grunts who just needed a job to support their families.

Reno knew how Tifa felt about her own actions back then. He had once heard a low-level Shinra manager bragging about how he was on the train with AVALANCHE when they were going to blow up the Sector 5 reactor. The man said he helped get people to safety. Reno's ears had perked up when the manager mentioned that a member of AVALANCHE, a "hot chick with a big rack" tried to help, too. After meeting Tifa atop the pillar, Reno realized she must have been the one mentioned by the manager.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Tifa asked after it seemed like Reno was done confessing.

"Because we want forgiveness, too," he said. "And… you should really give Rude a chance."

Tifa scoffed. "And why should I do that?"

"Cuz he's the best of us. Yeah, he does his job well, but he questions orders and does what he can to make sure people don't get hurt. Yanno, he jerked my head into the side of the helicopter trying to stop me from shooting you on that pillar."

He said it even though it made him look bad. At this point he knew that if he didn't try to push Tifa toward Rude he wouldn't be able to stop flirting with her and he'd end up hurting his best friend.

"He did?"

"Why do you think you're alive right now?"

"I always thought you were just a bad shot."

Reno laughed. Great, Rude had made him look like an idiot in front of AVALANCHE. Not that the multiple beatings from them had helped his reputation with the group.

"He always had a soft spot for you. Ever notice how he wouldn't hit you? Just deflect?"

"I did notice that… when I wasn't in one of your damn pyramids."

Reno ran his fingers through his hair. She didn't seem to have noticed _why_ she was always in a pyramid.

"So, that means you were going easy on us? I always thought you just weren't that good," she added when he didn't respond.

It was Reno's turn to scoff. "To be fair, _Missy_ ," he pointed an accusatory finger at her, " _I_ was weakened from a fight with Boy Wonder the day before – and you may recall the helicopter crash got me, too."

Tifa brought a finger to her chin in thought. "Oh yeah, I remember Cloud telling me how he kicked your ass in the church."

"Guess he left out the part about how he barely made it out alive himself."

Cloud had told her Reno was tough. He didn't hit hard, but he was lightning fast and nearly impossible to strike. Hearing something like that from Cloud, with his inhuman reflexes, really struck her. It didn't prepare her for her fights with Reno on the pillar and in Gongaga, though. It was something she had to experience.

"Want help cleanin' tonight?" Reno asked after a brief pause.

"As long as you don't steal anything," Tifa snapped, though her eyes contained mirth.

Reno held up his hands in defense. "Wouldn't dream of it, but if you feel like grinding against me again, I'm all for it."

"I did not _grind_ against you," Tifa scolded as she grabbed a broom and started sweeping.

"Sure, Lockhart, sure," Reno said before collecting the trash so Tifa could wipe down the tables.

When they were finished placing the chairs on the tables, Reno scratched the back of his head as Tifa stood awkwardly nearby. He spoke before she could kick him out.

"Seriously though, you should give Rude a chance," he said.

"Why are you so insistent on this?" she asked, returning to the bar.

"He's the best of us, like I said, and I want him to be happy."

"I'll think about it."

"You should, there's only one person in this world who deserves to be happy more than him," Reno said, heading for the door.

"Oh yeah? Who's that?"

He didn't turn back toward her as his hand rested on the doorknob. She couldn't see the smirk that crept onto his lips.

"Goodnight, Lockhart," he said before opening the door and disappearing into the night.

Tifa stared after him a bit, trying to figure out what he meant. She didn't think he could possibly be referring to her as being more deserving of happiness, but that seemed to be what he was implying.

She lay in bed for hours after she went through her nighttime ritual, unable to sleep, unable to get Reno's admissions out of her head. _Was he telling the truth?_ It certainly cast him and the rest of the Turks in a whole new light, but was it enough for her to forgive them for what they had done?

Reno was again an enigma. He'd made several flirtatious comments toward her but then spent the evening pushing her toward Rude. It didn't make sense.

* * *

Reno fell back onto his bed, a bottle of cheap liquor in one hand. It spilled a little when he hit the sheets, but he soon brought it to his mouth and held it upright again. He'd never opened up like that to anyone else. Even Rude only saw glimpses of Reno's humanity at various points, not all at once.

Tifa seemed to draw it out of him without trying and he couldn't figure out why. He understood now why Rude liked her, even if he didn't see the point. He eventually drank until he passed out, knowing he was in for a pounding headache in the morning.

* * *

Reno managed to drag Rude back to Seventh Heaven after an agonizingly long day of reading through Hojo's research documents. The bald Turk had been insisting he had no shot with Tifa and that she would say "no" after what they did in Nibelheim. Reno was determined not to let his best friend carry on in such a sour mood. Either Tifa would say "yes" thanks to Reno's admissions the night before, or she'd say "no" and Rude could finally move on.

Reno – and Elena, though she wouldn't admit it outright – had grown tired of Rude's years-long crush and the insecurities that came with it. They needed to snap him back into "Turk mode."

They took their customary seats at the bar. Tifa served them willingly, having lost the edge she carried with her the previous night. Rude thought the tenuous truce had returned, but he didn't know how and suspected Reno had something to do with it – which raised his concerns. Tifa was flittering around the bar as if something had made her happy. Rude couldn't imagine – didn't want to imagine – that had been thanks to Reno, yet here she was, a complete 180 from the night before.

On about his third scotch, Tifa placed her hands on the countertop in front of him and smiled sweetly at him.

"You know Rude," her words honeyed, "I think I _would_ like to go on a date with you."

Reno's eyes snapped to his partner. She had actually done it. She had actually taken his advice and agreed to go out with Rude. So, why wasn't he excited for his friend?

Rude nearly choked on his drink when she spoke. He thought she had just been nice when she told him she'd think about it. He had accepted that she could never look at him the way he looked at her, or the way she looked at Cloud. He had tried for years to get over his hopeless crush, tried to pursue other women – even given in to women who pursued him. But he couldn't get Tifa out of his head. She was one of the few non-male monks he had ever met, and one of the few who could match (or outmatch, though he wouldn't admit) his skills.

"Sounds good," he said, for once actually trying to contain emotions.

Tifa had always considered Rude's date request, though their treachery in Nibelheim certainly made her reconsider even the possibility until Reno spoke to her the night before. Rude actually cared about her. Though she could have sworn Reno had admitted those things to her the night before to try to ingratiate himself with the barmaid, he kept mentioning Rude. Tifa suspected the redhead hadn't forgiven _himself_ for his past and that despite his cocky attitude, actually felt he wasn't worthy of forgiveness.

She wondered what was behind that cold exterior of Rude's. Reno certainly saw something in his comrade, as they were almost always together. Maybe Reno just liked to hear himself talk, but maybe, just maybe, Rude was hiding a personality behind those dark sunglasses.

He also wasn't bad looking, even if Tifa preferred wild spiky hair, preferably blonde.

Reno waited until Tifa turned away from him and Rude again before whipping around in his chair – fast enough for Rude to make a mental note. The redhead was surprised Tifa had actually listened to him. He had kind of wished she wouldn't, though he was kicking himself for such thoughts.

His chest felt heavy; his ears burned. He didn't feel like he thought he would. He thought his own attractions for the barmaid would go right out the window if he helped Rude get a date with her. But now that he had accomplished that, he just felt empty and lost.

He hadn't picked up a woman in several months; maybe that was the reason for this cavity he felt in his stomach.

"Well, I'll leave you to it, then," he said, standing up and patting Rude on the shoulder. "Congratulations, man."

Rude's brows knitted above his sunglasses as he watched his partner leave the bar. It was only 8 p.m. His concern for Reno dissipated when Tifa came near him at the bar once again, consumed with his own merriment, though no one could see it.

"So, Rude, how are you going to make up for that little caper in Nibelheim?" Tifa asked.

Rude hadn't actually figured out where he would take her on their date. He had been thinking about it since the second she accepted, but nothing seemed good enough. Edge had some fine dining establishments, but they didn't yet compare to those in Junon or Wutai.

"Do, do you have a favorite restaurant?" he asked, his head tilted toward the bar as he cradled his drink.

"I've been to The Golden Chocobo once" – with Cloud – "it was _amazing_. I've always wanted to go back," she said, clearly reminiscing.

Rude was no dummy, he realized she must have gone there with Cloud, even though she didn't come out and say it. But she had been with Cloud for years, and he only took her there once? Definitely an opening.

"The Golden Chocobo it is, then," he said, trying to smile. It wasn't that he wasn't happy, he just wasn't used to using his face muscles.

Tifa clasped her hands in front of her chest and beamed. She had never been to such a nice restaurant before Cloud took her there for their one-year anniversary. She saw food there she – being a talented cook herself – had never even dreamed about. The dessert especially: A perfectly shaped volcano of chocolate cake with a thin yellow sugar crisp in the shape of a chocobo stuck on top. Drizzled with a white chocolate raspberry ganache. Decadent as _fuck_. Cloud was never one for sweets, but his eyes rolled into the back of his head when Tifa fed him a piece of that cake.

"I can't wait," she said.

"Would it be too difficult to go Saturday night?" Rude asked. Tifa thought for a moment.

"I could close early," she offered.

"So, maybe a late dinner, around 9?"

"Do you think you could get a table on such short notice?"

Rude was not prone to bragging, but Tifa had just opened the door for him. Reno would have taken a mile, but Rude was more subtle.

"I don't think it'll be a problem once I say I'll be bringing a member of AVALANCHE." In truth, the Turks could easily get tables on their own, but that was because people still feared them – and Rude didn't want to remind Tifa of that fact.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek as he left the bar at closing time. She didn't have that flutter in her chest that she always felt when she was around Cloud, or even the warm feeling she got when Reno had held her in Nibelheim or made her laugh. But Cloud was gone – almost five months now – and she didn't want to feel so alone anymore.

Maybe Rude would surprise her; or maybe not. Either way, it was time to start moving on, the thought of which stung.

* * *

Reno ducked into a dive bar on his way home from Seventh Heaven, where he spotted a petite young woman, barely old enough to legally drink, with light brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She was wearing a pink minidress. She looked vaguely familiar, and when she fluttered green eyes at him he knew he had a chance.

Reno locked eyes with her and gave her a cocky grin. He quickly flicked an eyebrow and raised his drink in her direction. She blushed and looked at her feet for a moment. She turned back to her friends, a mixed group of moderately attractive women and some doofy looking (in Reno's opinion) guys who couldn't have made as much money as he did. Reno kept his gaze on the woman for the next few minutes. She kept looking back in his direction and gave him a flushed smile each time.

After her third look, Reno stood up and ambled on over to where the young woman sat with her friends. Her female friends looked at him with some admiration and jealousy, while her male friends glared. Reno didn't care. He ignored them, choosing instead to whisper sweet nothings into the young woman's ear. Maybe Rude was right and he just needed to get laid. He had set his partner up with Tifa, so now he just needed to experience another woman to get the barmaid out of his system, or so he thought.

He stayed with her for maybe half an hour to ensure the young woman now seated on his lap – he didn't catch her name – knew he had eyes for only her. After she had allowed him to nibble on her neck for a while, he whispered the question into her ear. She had her head back to give him better access to her neck and moaned in agreement. He shifted under her to get her to stand up and then took her by the hand and led her to the door, giving her ass a squeeze as he held the door open for her.

It was his typical pickup routine, which he could follow without even thinking. This time, however, something just didn't feel right. He left the young woman satisfied, as always, but as he walked alone back to his apartment – fighting several fiends that the Edge police missed – he didn't have that usual swagger. And as he lay in bed after a few more drinks from his own stash, his mind returned to a different woman, one who remained perfectly unobtainable.


	14. Falling Into Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Get a good look, pervert?" - Tifa Lockhart.

He felt the pounding headache first, like jackhammers trying to bore their way through his skull. No, it was worse than that. This was like the parade in Junon thrown to celebrate Rufus as the new president of Shinra happening right inside his head. He could feel the rhythmically stomping boots of the military grunts and his mind felt as though the horn section was playing that awful song on full blast.

And it was all _her_ fault.

Not the chestnut-haired mouse from earlier in the week; she'd been a fine, fleeting distraction. It was the brunette goddess that had twirled in the recesses of his subconscious day in and day out for the past few months, leaping and kicking and punching as if she were in a choreographed dance. She was as graceful as a ballerina, lethal as a behemoth, and as gorgeous as if she had been sculpted by Shiva herself.

When his eyes finally opened, he felt nauseated. The sun crept into his room around the edges of his window blinds and seared into his eye sockets. Another memory of Junon, only back then the light was orange from the sunset and not blinding white like it was now. He shifted his gaze lower, onto the bottle that had been his sleeping partner for the night. He was lying on his stomach, naked, and spread wide across his king-sized bed in a cruel emphasis of how alone he was. The liquor bottle on the bed next to him was empty, though the cold, damp spot on the sheets underneath its mouth suggested it had not been when he passed out the night before.

The blonde he had bed the night before hadn't helped his predicament, as he thought she would. _Find a woman who looks nothing like anyone you know._ The blonde with the long, curly hair and hazel eyes had certainly been capable, but she didn't fill the hole he felt in his gut. He had left work right at 5 o'clock, which was no surprise to anyone these days, given his disdain for the information gathering. He suggested to Rude that they go somewhere other than Seventh Heaven, explaining that there would be no point to the date if Tifa saw him every day. Reno also hoped that avoiding _her_ would snap him out of whatever funk he now found himself.

It didn't work, so he tried finding a woman that didn't look like someone he knew that would remind him of her, and the blonde fit that profile.

He didn't notice Elena's face when he and Rude left HQ earlier in the day; narrowed eyes and doubt. Rude still hadn't put everything together, but he seemed to have some suspicions. Elena, however, knew Reno didn't understand what jealousy and heartache felt like, having always been on the other end of the relationship spectrum. She had thought about asking him but knew it wouldn't go over well.

So, Reno and Rude went to a different bar where the redhead made lewd comments about women in the bar as he usually did, only something didn't seem right. He didn't seem sincere in his musings – and he was drinking too much, too fast. Rude knew his partner was in for one of "those nights," but he had a date with his dream girl the next night; he didn't have the time or the patience to peel the redhead off the floor of the bar as he had done so many times over the years.

It occurred to Rude at that moment that Reno hadn't had one of those episodes for months. Reno had been particularly prone to wastrel tendencies after the plate was dropped but had seemingly gotten better after Meteor. Rude hoped his partner wasn't falling back into his old ways, especially since Rude wasn't sure what caused this sudden re-emergence of Reno the Drunk.

He had kicked the sauce for a little while after Meteor, so consumed in the reconstruction effort he had little time to think of anything else. But when the woman both he and his partner secretly and not-so-secretly coveted opened an establishment dedicated to alcohol, he'd returned. She pushed it for survival, and neither Reno nor Rude would let her starve.

Rude bid his partner farewell and locked eyes with the bartender as he left a tip generous enough to have been given to Tifa, as if to apologize for Reno's future behavior that night. Luckily for the establishment, Reno didn't cause any trouble. As soon as Rude left, he spied the blonde and made her his mission for the night.

He succeeded in that part, but when he returned to his apartment he continued to drink, trying to forget something he couldn't even recognize. He hadn't set out to get so drunk that night; he had merely been trying to calm the constant _tap tap tapping_ in his head that had persisted since earlier in the week when a certain bartender accepted a certain best friend's date invitation. At first Reno felt a tightness in his chest and just a slight _tap tap tapping_ at the base of his skull, like when he knew he would need a cigarette relatively soon. Throughout the week, that _tap tap tapping_ became more insistent, rising from a mild craving to an intense reckoning and then last night feeling like he was 36 hours into a cold turkey attempt. He had tried to silence the _tap tap tapping_ with alcohol, which worked, to an extent. Not last night, though. He kept drinking, punishing himself for being unable to support his partner.

He looked at the clock. He'd slept the day away. The sun was no longer blinding him, replaced by steel gray clouds ominously portending that the coming storm would be epic.

He didn't usually sleep this long unless he passed out; nightmares always interrupting his slumber to remind him he was a piece of human garbage. If not nightmares, pleasant dreams ended too soon of a busty fighter throwing down the gauntlet; of arms gently wrapped around his waist and a cheek against his chest.

A "functional alcoholic," he'd tell his coworkers, though sometimes the "functional" part would take a vacation.

He rose from the bed supporting himself on his hands, inhaling haggardly before hacking up a figurative lung. He considered calling Rude to see if he needed any help getting ready – advice or liquid courage – but decided against it. He was in no position to help and couldn't guarantee his attitude wouldn't betray his secret.

He reached for his EMR sitting on his nightstand. It wasn't its usual perch, but Reno hadn't been in the frame of mind the night before to care. Taking hold of the weapon gave him access to his Restore materia, the quickest hangover remedy. A low-level spell could chase the daggers away, though Reno tried to ride them out as often as he could. He may be a drunk, but he didn't want to fall into a cycle of alcohol and materia remedies. Most people didn't even know that Restore could be used that way.

He had the day off, which contributed to last night's affair. He showered and dressed in his blue Turk suit because even if he wasn't working, he liked the confidence boost it gave him. It also attracted women and warned anyone who would dare cut him off at the bar. He didn't feel 100%, but he still had a few hours until he needed to be anywhere. He convinced himself that, for Rude, he would go to Seventh Heaven around 10 p.m. to see how the date went. If it went poorly, Tifa would already be home. He could make the quick determination to prepare for the fallout without waiting for Rude to tell him, since he knew his bald friend wouldn't divulge the details no matter what the outcome.

It was already pouring when he took his first steps into the open air, opening an umbrella and balancing it in the crook of his shoulder as he lit a cigarette. He stopped for a fresh pack before working his way through back alleys in the dark toward Seventh Heaven. He arrived just before 10 p.m. The lights were out. Didn't mean anything. He stood on the small porch outside the front door under the second-floor overhang to stay relatively dry. There were few cars on the road these days due to the monster population, but every time he saw headlights he ducked around the corner, defeating the purpose of staying on the porch.

* * *

Tifa sat in the grand dining room of The Golden Chocobo. The room was one of the fanciest she had ever been in, with white and blue marble tiles and columns and a fountain in the middle of the room with a brass chocobo statue at the top. The base of the fountain was stone, with streams of water pouring out from a second tier into the larger pool beneath.

Tifa sat across from Rude at their table next to this fountain and she could see the mosaic tile floor beneath the cool, clear water dotted with gil thrown in by wishful patrons. She looked back at Rude, still surprised to see him out of his typical Turk attire. He was still wearing a suit, but it was charcoal gray with a white dress shirt underneath and a colorful tie. Tifa, meanwhile, wore a form-fitting dress with wide, diagonal white and black stripes.

The murmur of fleeting conversations hung heavy in the air as Tifa picked at her salad. It was good – probably one of the best salads she ever had – but Rude had barely said two words to her since he picked her up from in front of her bar. The most interesting piece of conversation between the two so far was about his tie.

She had tried to initiate conversation multiple times, but he would only respond in one-word answers or, at most, a full sentence. Favorite thing to do after work? Drink. Favorite thing about being a Turk? Can't answer. Where in Midgar did you grow up? Slums. Which sector? Not important. Favorite movie? Don't watch 'em. She was getting aggravated.

She had thought once he was away from Reno he would open up and let her in, but he didn't. She already knew there couldn't be a second date.

 _Toothpaste, wood polish, a couple new dish rags._ Tifa had started making a grocery list in her head to try to pass the time. She mentally kicked herself for running completely out of toothpaste before buying a new tube.

Cloud wasn't the most talkative person, but when it was just the two of them, he would often make jokes about the people around them or engage her in a conversation about ridiculous theories relating to monsters they had fought on their previous trials. For example, they spent one afternoon debating Hojo's title of "professor." Gast was a doctor, but Hojo was always referred to as a professor. Did he not have a Ph.D.? Where did he teach? _What_ did he teach? Was there a generation of Hojo acolytes out there continuing his creepy legacy? The questions went on. They never did decide on any answers.

They could laugh and flirt easily, but Tifa supposed that came from the comfort they had in each other's presence from a lifetime of friendship.

"So, that thing in Nibelheim…" she tried again. Rude made no indication that he had even heard her.

"I can't talk about that, sorry," he said.

"What _can_ you talk about, Rude?" she was getting frustrated at this point. There _had_ to be more to him than grunts or silence.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, _talk_ to me," she said, exasperated. "You asked me out for a date, but you've hardly said anything."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she sighed. "I just want to know the real you, outside of the Turks. You have to have things you want to talk about."

"I, heh," Rude began. "I really don't talk. Reno does the talking; I do the fighting."

"That makes sense for work, but when you're not on assignment, what do you guys talk about?"

"You've seen how it is at the bar."

"That's seriously your relationship? He picks up women while you silently stare into your drink?" Tifa supposed it made sense.

There were probably chatty girls who would love to have a man who simply listened all the time and went along with whatever they wanted, but Tifa needed something else. She needed to be challenged, to have discussions, and to be sure the person she was with was interested in her. A man sitting in silence just wasn't enough, even if she _knew_ he liked her.

"Well, no," Rude said.

Tifa reached across the table to grab his hands for emphasis.

"Then tell me what's in that bald head of yours," she said, squeezing his hands.

Rude was definitely thrown by her action. He had never felt her touch; how soft and warm her hands were. Even though she was a fighter, her skin was smooth and silky to the touch, as if she had never used her hands before. He wanted to savor the moment, but knew he needed to start talking soon to keep her from getting too bored.

"I'm not bald," he said reflexively. "I shave my head."

"Hey, there's something," Tifa seemed pleased with his admission. "Why do you shave your head?"

"Because I'm going bald."

It wasn't some big joke, but the way Rude said it made Tifa laugh. He wasn't bald, he just shaved his head because he was bald. It was just simple enough to tickle her. The sound of her laugh made him actually smile a little.

"Okay, I guess it's little comments like that that make you a good match for Reno."

"I can be quite delightful," Rude said, losing any emotion he may have just had. His statement made Tifa laugh even harder.

The conversation passed and the two fell into an uncomfortable silence before their entrées were delivered. They ate in silence for a few minutes, until Rude remembered he never showed Tifa those photos of Reno after he was electrocuted. Bringing up Reno when Rude had some suspicions about his relationship with Tifa might not have been the smartest idea, but the bald Turk knew she would probably get a kick out of the pictures.

"Oh yeah, I meant to show you these before, but then Nibelheim happened…" he trailed off as he pulled out his PHS and found the first image in the series. "We recently came into contact with some electrified doors. Reno, naturally, couldn't keep his hands to himself."

He handed a confused Tifa his phone, knowing it was a gamble but wanting to make her laugh more than protect whatever information she might snoop. She took it from him slowly, careful not to drop it as she moved it over the table with food and beverages. When she looked at the first picture Rude saw her face light up with laughter.

"His hair looks like a trickplay!" she exclaimed as she scrolled through photos showing Reno with his hair frizzed out and ponytail puffed like a mu tail. The final entry was a short video of Reno struggling to walk as his limbs twitched. Tifa tried to stifle her laughter, knowing the scarlet-haired Turk was in agony. His cocky attitude, however, made him due for a good takedown. "Poor Reno," she giggled as she handed Rude his phone.

The rest of their dinner actually ended up being rather pleasant. Tifa didn't leave feeling _that_ way about Rude, but she had at least come to see him in a different light. He was funny, in a deadpan sort of way. He didn't have a lot to say, but he could crack her up with the way he phrased his answers.

Oh, and the food at the restaurant was just as good as Tifa remembered. The menu had changed since she had been there a year ago, but the sorghum-glazed dual horn short rib was equally as delicious, and the blueberry lavender mini cheesecakes molded in the shape of a moogle's face were quite charming.

Despite the food and the agreeable conversation, Tifa ended up depressing herself as the night went on. In retrospect, suggesting The Golden Chocobo was a bad idea, given her previous experience with Cloud. _They_ laughed and flirted the entire time. Back then, it was so easy for her to be with Cloud. His headaches were mild and his nightmares weren't so severe. By the end of her date with Rude, Tifa was realizing she had chosen the restaurant to try and recreate one of her happiest moments.

Rude dropped Tifa off in front of her bar just after 10 p.m., feeling pretty good about the date, but not good enough to move in for a kiss. He thought he had broken new ground with the woman he had admired from afar for the past several years but worried he just hadn't said enough to captivate someone like her. Perhaps they were just too different. He wasn't used to women actually wanting to have a discussion. Usually, they just talked his ear off. But of course, the woman he was interested in wasn't like that, and he just wasn't that much of a conversationalist, even if he had managed to make her laugh a few times.

It was raining hard when he stopped his car in front of Seventh Heaven. With his windshield wipers on full blast, he had to raise his voice for Tifa to hear him over the storm outside.

"I wish I had more to say," he told her, looking into her eyes through the sunglasses he was wearing even though it was night.

"It's okay," she assured him. "I had a lovely time."

She leaned over the center console and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"See you at the bar soon?" she asked before she opened her car door.

Rude nodded his head and grunted in his usual fashion. Tifa felt relieved that things might be able to go back to normal after what was a mediocre date.

She rushed to her front door, though that hadn't helped keep her any drier, but immediately threw her head back and groaned.

"Toothpaste!" she yelled out loud as if she were scolding her own home.

She checked the time on her phone – four minutes until the nearby general store closed. She could make it if she ran right now but she had no umbrella. Unlocking her door and going inside to find her umbrella would probably mean the store would close, and she was not about to go to bed without proper dental hygiene.

Fuck it, she'd just run. She bolted from her doorway and down the street, entering the store with one minute to spare. She had fortunately decided to forgo heels that night in favor of some stylish black leather ankle boots with a slight chunky heel. She had considered heels, but she felt it was safer to be ready to fight. Going into the date, she thought there was still a slim chance that Rude had been faking his feelings for her to play some kind of long-con. Can never really trust those Turks.

The cashier at the general store glared at her, pissed that she would have to deal with a customer after closing time. Tifa quickly found the items she needed (might as well pick up the rest of what she needed while she was already here instead of making another trip in the morning) and paid for them, leaving the store just two minutes after closing time and quickly running home.

By the time she reached her home a second time she was soaked to the bone. Her hair stuck to her face, continuing to drip down her body even after she was under the cover of her doorway and her clothes clung to her skin.

She fumbled with her keys and they slipped from her hands. When she bent over to pick them up she heard that annoyingly familiar voice that always came too close for comfort.

"Wrong night to wear white, eh?"

Tifa spun around toward the direction of the voice with her fists raised, poised to strike. In her haste to turn on her stalker, she hadn't actually listened to what he said, instead preparing for a potential fight. Of course, it was Reno _again_. He just kept showing up when she was alone and on edge.

At the sight of him, she flung her arms toward her sides, the way a child would when stomping their foot, only without the stomp.

"Why do you keep following me?" she hissed.

It was really starting to get annoying. It was like he _was_ stalking her, always appearing out of nowhere with some snarky comment.

Reno tried to keep his eyes on Tifa's face, but they kept wandering south. He found her angry expression downright cute in the moment even as his maleness dictated he look elsewhere.

It was clear she hadn't worn a bra with this particular ensemble, and he could see the pink forms of her nipples underneath. She was flashing him without her knowledge, something that caused heat to pool in his loins. He of course wanted to see them without the coverage of a wet dress – and in a scenario where he could freely touch and suck on them – but this was a nice step forward, especially given his belief that he would never be in a position like that with her.

He leaned against the front wall of her bar with one ankle crossed over the foot bearing his weight and removed a rumpled pack of cigarettes, his eyes now avoiding her. He removed the last one in the pack, which had been spotted with rain drops (but he couldn't just throw it away) and placed it between his lips. She continued to stare at him questioningly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his lighter. Without any consideration for how much time he was taking, he brought the lighter up to the tip of the cigarette and lit it, watching as the tobacco burned into an orange nub sticking out from the paper that had once concealed it. He took one long drag of the cigarette and exhaled out the side of his mouth to avoid blowing smoke in Tifa's pretty face.

As she watched him take his time with the cigarette, she noticed that he was soaking wet as well. His once lively red hair now hung limply toward his ears, his bangs soggy against his face. His suit was wrinkled and clinging to his thin frame, the collar of his white dress shirt looking even more disheveled than usual. He certainly looked pathetic, though Tifa imagined she must look similar.

Reno removed the cigarette from his lips using his index and middle fingers and brought it to his side. At this point, Tifa considered just entering her home and not entertaining whatever game he was currently playing. She sighed heavily and crossed her arms under her chest, which just made things worse (better) for Reno.

"Because, I…" he couldn't finish the sentence. "I'm sorry, I can't concentrate when you have your headlights on me." He didn't even try to hide his amusement.

"Excuse me?" Tifa asked, placing her hands on her hips.

Reno took one last look at her chest and the thin white material that was clutching her breasts, before looking into her eyes again, quickly. She caught on to what he was indicating and looked down, horrified to find that she could indeed see her own nipples through her dress.

Mortified, she immediately hugged her arms around her chest and turned away from him, crying "oh my God," as she did so.

Reno thought he probably should have kept his big mouth shut, but if he said nothing and she figured it out on her own, she might have been angrier. At least he was being informative, right?

"You're a jerk!" she said with her upper body turned away from him toward her door as she again fumbled with the lock.

"I know, but at least I let you know, right?" Reno asked, continuing to lean against the wall outside Seventh Heaven.

Tifa whipped around to face him once again – arms covering her chest – to shoot him an indignant look.

" _Eventually_ ," she sneered. "Get a good look, pervert?"

"Not really, that porch light is pretty dim," Reno replied, glancing toward the dim bulb.

His humor was not welcome.

"What are you doing here, Reno?" she demanded, backing into the corner of the small porch next to the front door.

"I wanted to know how your date went."

"Why don't you just ask Rude?"

"That's not how I roll," Reno explained. "I want to be ready for whatever he needs tomorrow, and based on how early it is, I'd say he needs alcohol."

"What would he need if the date lasted longer?"

"Alcohol, but we'd be happy drinking," Reno said with a smirk. "Tell me something, Lockhart. Why'd you go out with him?"

Tifa held her arms tightly across her chest, wanting nothing more than to go inside, get away from Reno, and change. She leaned her shoulder against the front of the doorframe to answer the redhead's question before making her move inside.

"You made it clear I should, and I wanted to."

Reno brought his right forearm to rest on the wall next to him in order to prop himself up and moved closer to Tifa.

"Did you know when you agreed that you weren't really into him?"

"I didn't know that," she replied, "for sure. I wanted to give him a chance."

"He's not your type," Reno said, his eyes heavy as he spoke. "You like the thrill of the chase Lockhart. You want a lost soul you can turn around."

"That's not true," Tifa insisted. Reno was not convinced.

"He's not dangerous enough for you," the Turk said.

"He's a Turk."

"You know what I mean. You know he likes you. There's no ambiguity there, and that bores you," Reno said, searching her eyes for that glint of acknowledgement to prove he was right.

There it was.

"Then _why_ were you so insistent that I go out with him?"

Reno rubbed the back of his neck and looked toward the wooden planks of the wall, focusing on a splintered section that had been damaged by a fiend.

"I hoped I was wrong. He's been carryin' a torch for ya for so long, I wanted to help," the redhead said.

"You're just _that_ good of a friend?"

"I had to try. I'm not like Rude though, just liking someone from afar, yanno? I had to give him a push. I mean, if I really wanted to be with a girl, I'd…" he stopped short, realizing he had just given himself away.

It was Tifa's turn to smile.

"…Wait in the pouring rain for her to return from her date with his best friend?" Tifa said, now appearing a little smug. Reno's expression didn't change. Instead, he just exhaled smoke slowly and deliberately, as if he hadn't even heard what she said.

"Oh this? Nah, I was just in the neighborhood…" he sounded cool, but Tifa had this self-satisfied smile on her face and kept nodding her head in amusement. "… and figured I'd see if the date went well, yo."

"Mmhmm," Tifa smiled.

Oh, he had been caught. He had been caught red-handed.

"I think you were jealous," she teased.

Reno's body language gave no indication that he was listening. He took another long drag from the cigarette.

"No way, I don't get crushes," Reno's voice was cool and low, almost disinterested.

"So, all those confessions and nights helping me after closing…?" Tifa asked.

Reno's eyes lit up, a flare from the mako that Tifa could see even on the dimly lit porch. All this time he had told himself he didn't have a chance with Tifa Lockhart and that to get past his sexual desires for her, he should try to set her up with his best friend. Her comment just now suggested she had seen something in his flirtations, possibly even welcomed them. It was another little drop in the bucket where he had been collecting evidence of her potential reciprocation.

He decided that he needed to know for sure. If she pushed him away, he could move on with his life and return to his womanizing like nothing had ever happened, but if she accepted…

He took a step toward her with his eyes locked on hers. He smoldered, answering her question with his expression. She, however, was now backed against the door, keeping one arm across her chest while moving her other hand to reach for the doorknob.

Reno kept her pace; close enough for her to feel the heat from his body on the arm that was still covering her breasts. He hovered over her as her right hand gripped the doorknob, keeping her eyes locked on his to figure out what he was about to do. His face closed in on hers and she realized she was no longer trying to get away. She had never imagined kissing Reno – certainly not in any way except against her will – but now that it was about to happen, she felt butterflies in her stomach. The pain and anguish that had consumed her heart these last few months subsided for a split second, before she felt herself falling backward.

As Reno had leaned in, Tifa absentmindedly let her right hand fall from the doorknob, but in doing so, accidentally twisted the knob. When Reno was close enough to kiss her, she had moved to brace herself against the door, causing it to open and both her and the redhead to tumble inside. Reno, with his inhuman reflexes boosted by a mild amount of mako combined with what she assumed was already catlike agility, quickly wrapped his right arm around Tifa's back and reached out his left to brace their fall, keeping the barmaid from making full contact with the ground. When they landed, Reno still had an arm under Tifa while his left elbow was to her side, their faces so close he could feel the tip of her nose against his own.

A rush of wind and rain followed them in, making them each shiver before closing the door as it left her establishment. They could hear the door slam behind them as the wind left the building as quickly as it had come.

Tifa stared up at him as her heartbeat slowed from its height during the fall. She could feel Reno's chest pressing against hers as he, too, continued to breathe heavily, the cigarette smoke on his breath filling her nostrils. He could practically taste the cheesecake she had for dessert – with Rude – as she caught her breath.

Tifa knew she was getting caught up in Reno's… charms? That wasn't the right word. More like antagonistic flirting, but she had developed some kind of feelings for him, nonetheless. It wasn't what she felt for Cloud, to be sure, it was more like a watered-down version of the heat she felt in her chest every time she was around the blond swordsman. A dull ache for Reno's attention, even though she didn't want to feel this way.

"Reno…" she said softly, her voice breathy and belying her desire.

She knew nothing could happen between them no matter what she was starting to feel. If her relationship with Cloud had been complicated during their previous adventure, any relationship with Reno would be even more so. She couldn't imagine trying to explain to her friends – especially Barret – such an encounter.

"I've wanted to hear you say my name like that for so long, yo," he said, bringing his forehead to rest against hers. "Reeee-no…" he mimicked her as best he could, though his own voice was raspy from cigarettes.

And there it was. Confirmation that the redheaded Turk wanted her; physically, she assumed. But she couldn't. Cloud may have been gone for five months, but she wasn't ready for anyone to even attempt to take his place. She'd loved the man since she was a teenager; the heartache was too fresh.

Tifa fidgeted underneath Reno and sat up as she again covered her chest with her arms. Reno sat back on his heels as she did so, kicking himself for making such an admission. She looked at him again without saying anything, though her eyes were watery, the life he had just seen in them a moment ago deflated.

Reno knew that look, even if Tifa thought he couldn't see it in the dark of the unlit bar. He hopped to his feet to turn the light on. Tifa turned her head from him and closed her eyes, hoping he wouldn't notice the tears threatening to release. Reno walked back over to her and offered his hand. Tifa sensed he was close again and looked up to his hand, releasing one arm from her chest to accept his help.

Reno then did something he never imagined himself doing. As he pulled Tifa up, he brought her to him so he could wrap his arms around her. This time it was Tifa's turn to hesitate awkwardly. She still had an arm covering her chest as Reno embraced her and let her free hand fall to her side. Reno held her tightly, not quite sure what he was doing, but knowing what had happened the last time he saw Tifa cry. After a minute passed, Tifa struggled to remove her arm from between them and slowly, tentatively, reached her arms around Reno to hug him back. She leaned her head against his chest, both shivering from their soaking wet clothes.

Reno knew what – or who – was holding Tifa back, but there was nothing he could really do about that. Strife was an ass, and an idiot, who did _this_ to one of the most caring women Reno had ever met.

Against all odds, Tifa Lockhart had seemingly forgiven him and Rude – the most loathsome men on the planet, in Reno's opinion – for their past. He knew how she had been there for Cloud even as he pulled away from her. It made him want to punch the blond in the face. He thought back to the times when he was able to electrocute that bastard and smiled briefly.

"You can't hold on to the past so hard," he whispered, squeezing her a little tighter. "I've been there. It almost killed me."

Tifa wasn't sobbing into his chest like last time; the tears never fell. She was too shocked by Reno's tenderness to let her feelings get the best of her again. Yet again, Reno had managed to rescue her from her pain. She pulled back from him, her expression sheepish.

"I should change…" she said, again covering her chest. "I'll… I'll get you a towel."

Reno watched her disappear up the stairs. A white stripe of her dress also fell over her backside, giving him a decent view of her white thong beneath the thin material. It really was the wrong night to wear white.

He strolled over to the bar and sat at his usual stool, trying to calm his wandering mind that was causing his pants to become a little tight. He rested his forearms on the bar and picked at his nails until Tifa returned and tossed a towel over his head. He was actually a little surprised she came back at all; perhaps even more surprised that he didn't follow her upstairs.

He dried his hair as Tifa walked behind the bar and grabbed two glasses, setting one in front of him. When she turned back around holding his favorite scotch she paused. Reno had removed his jacket and was wearing just his wet dress shirt, which must have been as see-through as her dress had been. The soaked fabric clung to his skin, showing off how lithe he was even underneath his fitted suit. He reached up to the top button he had fastened, which was the third button down and started to undo it before noticing Tifa was staring.

"Uh, mind? Kinda cold," he said. She nodded and turned back to the bar cabinet; her cheeks flushed. She didn't notice Reno's prideful smirk.

He removed his shirt and placed it over the back of the bar stool next to him, his jacket carefully laid over the counter beside him. Tifa, he now noticed, was dressed in her usual attire – a white crop top and black leather miniskirt. Her hair was still wet, but she had it pulled up into a thick bun, her bangs still falling messily about her forehead. Her outfit did nothing to calm the heat in his loins.

Tifa turned around to pour Reno's scotch before grabbing a bottle of Corel wine and pouring herself half a glass. She stayed behind the bar, fearful of what might happen if she dared to sit next to him; whether she could control her hormones - or if he could control his. She smiled at Reno, who now had the towel draped around his shoulders like an old woman's shawl. He took a large sip of his scotch, the brown liquor burning his chest as he swallowed. Satisfying.

"Still cold?" Tifa asked, taking a sip of her wine.

"Not anymore," he said, his eyes trained on her with a hint of sensuality hidden behind the mako.

He knew he should have left while she was upstairs or even before they fell into the bar. Hell, he knew he shouldn't have come here in the first place. If Rude had seen what had happened tonight, their friendship might be over. Reno couldn't live with himself if he lost Rude, but he also was enjoying his time with Tifa too much to walk away from her, even if nothing had actually happened between them.

They stayed silent for several minutes, each nursing their own drink.

"Still upset over Strife?" Reno asked, though it was a question to which he already knew the answer and didn't want to hear.

He was becoming "that guy" who kept comforting a girl while she pined for someone else. He ran a hand through his hair and down to his neck, wishing he had another cigarette to focus on. Why didn't he make a snarky or flirtatious comment? He could kick himself, again.

"I think I'm getting better," she replied, her voice unsteady. "Like you said, I can't hold on to the past, right?"

Reno was surprised she quoted his words back to him, assuming she hadn't heard them earlier or had simply dismissed them.

"That's right, Lockhart," he said, the corner of his lip curling upward.

As another silence passed, Reno decided he had done enough to damage his friendship with Rude. He started to slowly rise from his stool, noticing again how wet and cold his pants were, and began to pull on his still soaked shirt.

"I could lend you a T-shirt so you don't have to walk back completely drenched," Tifa said.

Reno chuckled. "Don't think I'll fit into one of yours, Lockhart."

"Very funny, but Cloud left his clothes here… I could let you borrow one of his…"

Had she really just suggested giving something of Cloud's to _Reno_?

"Don't worry about it, it'll just get rained on anyway. Besides, it's a warm night."

Tifa nodded and watched as Reno slipped back into his shirt and jacket, wincing as the cool fabric slid across his skin. She walked around the bar to follow him to the door so she could lock it after he left. He paused before opening it and turned back toward her. He didn't know what to say and even though he knew he should say nothing and simply walk away to keep his cool exterior, he _wanted_ to say something to her.

"Thank you," she said, her hands clasped behind her back and her gaze not meeting his.

There was that innocence in full view. She looked almost like a scared teenager, afraid that she was embarrassing herself. Reno felt his left eye twitch just once.

"Just do me a favor, wouldja, Lockhart?" he asked, causing her to meet his eyes.

"What?"

"Don't let me see you sad anymore. You're too hot to be hung up on some guy."

Tifa's eyebrows squeezed together in confusion – not over what Reno said, but the fact that he said it. If she didn't know any better, the Reno she experienced tonight was unlike her previous image of him. He almost seemed… caring, but she knew better.

She nodded and smiled anyway, tilting her head slightly. "I'll try."

He continued to stare into her carmine eyes for a second too long and she thought he was about to try and kiss her again. She could practically see the gears turning in his head, yet he turned suddenly and again opened the door. She found her heart dropping a little as that odd feeling of rejection returned.

Lightning struck somewhere in the distance, illuminating the light sky for a brief moment and silhouetting Reno. His hair was dry enough to begin regaining its natural spikiness; suit rumpled from moisture. He paused and slumped his shoulders as he stood in the doorframe. He couldn't leave like this. He almost had his chance, he needed to take it, even if it was so, so wrong.

He spun back around to face her and without another word and with little tenderness, he grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her. She squealed with surprise into his mouth but did not struggle. This was actually happening. She was actually kissing Reno – a Turk! What would AVALANCHE think? What would Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie think?

She realized her arms had reached up to wrap around his neck and she was standing on her tiptoes as he deepened the kiss, snaking his tongue into her mouth and reaching around her back. His arms were so long, and she was so thin, he could reach his own elbows. He leaned forward to dip her back slowly, knowing that his wet clothes were ruining her fresh shirt, and wanting nothing more than to slide his hands down her back to her ass and then to her thighs to lift her up and carry her to the bar, or maybe upstairs.

But he didn't. She pulled out of the kiss not long after it started, her fingertips lingering against his jaw and her lips still slightly parted. She was surprised, but not unhappy, as he thought she might be. Her lashes fluttered as she stood up straight.

To be honest, Tifa hadn't expected the kiss to feel so good. As her mind quickly raced to interpret what just happened, she realized she should have known he would be a good kisser, what with his reputation. She suddenly hated herself for getting caught up in the moment, even if it her heart was racing.

"Goodnight, Reno," she said when her heels returned to the floor.

"Goodnight, Lockhart." This time he actually left, his hope that she would leave his system immediately retreating.

He strolled home with a cocky grin plastered to his face that he couldn't shake. He couldn't get his mind off her until he entered his empty apartment and it all hit him. There was no turning back for him now, he just hoped Rude wouldn't find out.

* * *

The excitement of the evening quickly turned into an extreme feeling of guilt and Tifa rushed upstairs to shower. Scrub as hard as she could, she couldn't get the hot tinge of guilt from rising up her spine.

What she had just done was unforgivable. She had betrayed Cloud, AVALANCHE, and even Rude. Even if Cloud did come back, would he take her back knowing what she had just done? Would he forgive her? Or see her as a slut that turned to the enemy the minute his back was turned?

She sunk to the floor of her shower and started to cry as hot water tried to sear the sin from her body.

What had she done?

After her skin had turned red from the heat – and after she had stopped crying – she stepped out of the shower and pulled on a pair of pink cheeky underwear and a black camisole. She made it back to her bed before collapsing in the fetal position and crying once again until she fell asleep with the covers pulled up over her head as if to shield her from the world's accusations.

When she awoke, she found a text message had been waiting for her all night.

"Sleep well, Lockhart" it said.


	15. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I thought you were an arrogant little twerp that was going to get us all killed." - Rude.

_Sunday_

Reno was trapped in those few seconds between sleep and awake where reality was confused, and dreams were persuasive.

He knew he had gone to Seventh Heaven the night before – he hadn't been drunk and he wasn't hungover now – but a couple risqué dreams about the incident had him questioning what actually happened, evidenced by the raging stiffness of a particular part of his anatomy, which was unabashedly greeting the morning air. If he could remember seeing or experiencing something three times, one _had_ to have actually happened, he figured. He'd try to focus on his major senses; what he saw, felt, tasted.

He remembered being outside the bar and could remember how his suit jacket clung to him with icy resolve. Tifa, too, had been soaked in the rain, and Reno recalled noticing her nipples through tight white fabric three separate times – meaning it must have actually happened.

He saw her hair sticking to her face and could feel his own hair soggy as well.

He felt himself falling to the hardwood floor, the recollection forcing him to recognize the soreness in his right forearm and elbow. He checked his left hand. It was still pink, but the ache on the heel let him know a bruise would appear soon. They definitely fell. He was on top of her, straddling her and pinning her to the ground.

Next, he focused on what he _hoped_ had actually happened.

_Tifa sat up and Reno ripped the thin fabric of her dress apart at her chest, causing her breasts to spill out over what remained of her clothing._

_"Reno!" she yelled, blushing heavily._

_She tried to cover herself again but this time he grabbed her upper arms and forced them back so he could see her as he had only dreamed of seeing her before._

He wanted so badly to remember what her breasts looked like outside of her dress, what they felt like, and how they tasted, but he couldn't. _Dammit, that was the dream_.

Her smooth, alabaster skin stretched between large, natural breasts – he hadn't actually witnessed that. Which meant…

_Reno moved his lips toward hers and brought one hand up to cradle her head while letting the other one explore her breasts, squeezing the tender flesh and rubbing her nipples with his thumb. And then his lips left hers and began to travel south, first to her ear lobe, then to her jaw, then to her neck, shoulder, chest, and finally to her other breast, where he swirled the nub of her nipple with his tongue before nipping and sucking on it._

_Tifa arched her chest into his face and gripped the back of his head with her fingers, nearly clawing at his tresses. Reno continued to tease her with his tongue and thumb as she moaned in approval. He even kissed the center of her chest as his lips passed between her breasts. After each breast was wet from his mouth, he began to kiss the line between them, traveling south once more._

He sat up in bed as he finally awoke. His dreams had been far more enticing than reality, even though what actually happened led to his dreams. He hadn't experienced Tifa Lockhart, but he had kissed her and heard her say his name in a sultry fashion. He fell back onto his pillow with his arms stretched out to the sides, letting go of the disappointment of not having fondled Tifa's breasts while smiling arrogantly about his stolen kiss and the look on her face as she pulled away.

Reno knew how women thought. Well, except for _one_ woman. One insane woman who seemed to see something he did not see in himself, who managed to set aside his worst transgressions and forgive him when he could not do the same.

He was a Turk, skilled in perception, _de_ ception, stealth, and fighting. But if he were to name the one skill he was better at than anything else, it was reading women. He knew what they were thinking even before they did, and he used that knowledge to get ahead of them to prove himself to be whatever guy they wanted him to be. He didn't need the ability to read their thoughts, he already sensed them. He only needed to observe a woman for a few minutes before determining exactly what she was looking for in a man. And then he would become that man.

If he needed to be a good listener, he was; if he needed to be a tough guy, he was; if he needed to be the sensitive type, well, there were just somethings he wouldn't do – until now. Until Tifa, he'd never met a woman who really, truly wanted a sensitive type. Deep down they all wanted the same thing. Even she, he thought, only wanted someone sensitive to a point.

Reno had a long list of conquests in his head. He didn't know everyone's names – sometimes he didn't ask and sometimes they didn't tell – but he always thought he was at least polite enough to be able to pick them out of a crowd if needed. He rarely gave the women he bed a second thought, but he didn't forget them, either. None of them ever captivated him like Tifa. She had seen him perform some of the worst missions of his job, yet last night she allowed him to kiss her. The taste of her sweet lips still lingered on his own.

He knew as soon as he left Seventh Heaven that Tifa would shame herself into a spiral of guilt. It was currently eating him up inside to know that he was causing her further grief. If he hadn't had such a previous encyclopedia of knowledge on women, he would have never known. Suddenly, his knowledge was a curse. He sent her that text when he knew she would be crying to get her to think about him in a more favorable way again.

She would be his greatest challenge, but he suspected she would be his greatest reward as well. He could tell that underneath that demure exterior lay a vixen just waiting to be unleashed – and he was just the man to bring it out of her.

His thoughts quickly turned to Rude and how Reno was courting the man's dream girl behind his back. Reno had told himself to stop every step of the way, but the allure of Tifa Lockhart proved too strong. He still hoped _she_ would put a stop to it to save him from the inevitability of losing her _and_ Rude. He knew it couldn't last between himself and a woman like Tifa. She embodied all that was good and kind in the world – and he was the opposite. She may have seen him at his lowest, but her view of him now was just occasional incidents and some happy coincidences. The real, day-to-day Reno could never satisfy her. He'd only break her heart if she were to build him up as some replacement for Cloud.

He decided at that moment to stay away from her for a few days. He knew a possible outcome of that plan – based on past experience – would be that the woman would grow fonder of him if he disappeared. It's why he stopped bringing women back to his apartment in the old Shinra building. Too many would show up demanding to see him, causing a scene in the lobby and resulting in a scolding from Tseng.

There was a chance, however, that Tifa might give up on him if he appeared to have run. Reno also knew he wouldn't be able to control himself around her at this point, giving them away to Rude. He was so guilt-ridden by now that he couldn't be in the same room as his partner and Tifa, so ashamed of what he had done, yet feeling no regret for what had transpired.

He had taken a hot shower to warm up when he returned home the night before, but he woke up still feeling the shiver beneath his skin. Another, longer shower did the trick as he plotted how he could spend his next few days without contacting Tifa, which also meant avoiding her bar and likely losing Rude as a drinking buddy for the foreseeable future.

Sunday was another day off, but he knew he couldn't sleep the day away or drink himself into oblivion. No, he had to be there for his partner, who had just failed with the woman with whom Reno appeared to be succeeding.

When he was properly dressed and caffeinated, he leaned on his elbows over his kitchen counter, cradling his PHS in his palms and staring at Rude's name in his contacts. What could he say to the man after what he did last night? In hindsight, he should have just waited to ask Rude how the date went instead of stalking Tifa.

He tapped Rude's name with his thumb and continued to hold the phone near the counter as it rang. Reno needed to play this off as if he didn't know how the date had gone, still thinking of what to say when Rude answered.

"Hmm?" Rude grunted into the phone after several rings.

"Hey partner, how'd it go?" Reno asked using all the acting abilities he had as a sometimes-undercover Turk.

Rude just grunted; groaned, really.

"So, that's… good?" Reno tried to keep the conversation light.

"I screwed up," Rude finally said.

"What? How? I doubt that," Reno lied.

"She needs someone more talkative. I just couldn't," Rude admitted with a sigh.

"Crazy. When we're out drinkin', you can be quite chatty."

"That's you."

"Eh, forget it man, let's go drink," he offered, feeling like a scumbag as the words left his lips. "And you can be as chatty as you want."

"Okay."

"I'll meet you at the place by you in twenty."

Reno was surprised to see that Rude didn't look any different from his usual, stoic self. To the untrained eye, Rude hadn't experienced any emotions… ever. But to Reno, possibly fueled by his own delinquency, Rude looked absolutely downtrodden.

"So, why do you think you screwed up?" Reno asked after they each had a couple drinks in silence

"I don't know what to say around her," Rude responded. "And she wanted conversation."

Reno let out a simple "hmm" and stared into his drink, a cheaper scotch than Tifa served at Seventh Heaven, but satisfying enough for the current situation.

He heard Rude sigh next to him, the slightly older Turk bowing his head and wrapping his fingers around his glass as he spoke to the liquid inside, not to Reno.

"Sometimes I wish I could be more like you," Rude admitted after a long pause.

He didn't notice Reno's eyes nearly pop out of his head for a second before the redhead turned to look Rude's way, stunned.

"No, you don't," he said tersely, turning his attention back to his own drink and mirroring Rude's grip on the glass.

"At least when it comes to talking," Rude countered. "You've made her laugh… and smile. You got her talking when no one else could."

His voice was definitely strained, as if the admission was physically hurting him. Rude felt his chest tighten as he spoke, the slightest hint of jealousy stinging like a mosquito to the back of the neck.

"It's just cuz I don't have a filter," Reno offered. "Everyone else was afraid to talk to her after Strife bounced, but I don't care. I'll say whatever."

"I've noticed."

"You could be like that, too, yanno."

"I overthink too much," Rude took a large sip of his drink and brought the glass down to the bar a little harder than he intended. "Maybe she should be with you."

He couldn't believe he had let those words leave his mouth, but he didn't regret saying them. He wanted to gauge Reno's reaction; a test of sorts, to see how the redhead responded. Rude's suspicions were at an all-time high, even though he tried to tamp them down, wary of being so distrustful of his best friend. But something had changed in Reno over the past few months since Cloud had been gone. Rude didn't think anyone else would notice, but being Reno's best friend, it was kind of hard to miss. Years of evidence began to seem less than coincidental: The change in Reno's demeanor following the pillar, everything about their mission in Gongaga, how he's changed the past few months, including his lack of sexual conquests and his increased focus on getting Rude to date Tifa while reacting noticeably when she actually accepted the date request. And he still couldn't get Elena's " _one_ of you" comment out of his head.

Rude hoped Reno would answer his question in some obvious way to confirm all the elder Turk's suspicions. Perhaps Reno would grunt, or spit out his drink, or straight up agree, giving Rude the sign he needed.

For Reno's part, it took quite a bit of self-control to keep from flinching at Rude's suggestion. After a brief pause to calculate a response, Reno quirked his head.

"Hard pass," he said plainly. "Too much baggage with that one."

The lie tugged at his heart, even if he knew, objectively, she did carry emotional baggage.

Rude's eyes narrowed behind his dark sunglasses, sure he could tell Reno's heart was racing despite his outwardly cool and calm demeanor. He chalked it up to his own insecurities; he couldn't blame anyone else for Tifa being uninterested. There were many reasons why Tifa hadn't been more captivated by the bald Turk, but it all boiled down to their personality differences. It wasn't Reno's fault that Rude didn't talk much on his date with Tifa, or that she laughed and smiled more during her interactions with the redhead.

An uncomfortable silence hung over the two men as they finished their drinks and signaled for new ones.

"Hey, remember when we first met?" Reno asked, obviously trying to change the subject.

Rude snorted ever so softly.

"Heh," he said, raising his eyes from his newly poured glass to look straight ahead at the liquor cabinet behind the bar, "I thought you were an arrogant little twerp that was going to get us all killed."

Rude was picked for Turk recruitment just a few weeks before Reno as part of the same program that focused on gangbangers in the slums. Shinra's thinking was that the gang kids already knew how to fight and lacked most of their consciences, so giving them fancy homes and big paychecks could keep them loyal. It worked, thanks to Tseng's intensive research into possible recruits while he was Veld's second-in-command and assigned to oversee the program.

Rude and Reno were the first two successes of the program. Years later, Alvis, Emma, and Ruluf would all be hired as part of the same strategy.

"Well, look how wrong you were, cuz I haven't," Reno said with a sardonic smile.

"Yet," Rude added, the corner of his lip rising.

Reminiscing was common for the veteran Turks, yet it always ended with angst. Even though all the previously exiled Turks had been rehired, they hadn't been moved to Edge. They remained scattered around the world. What had once been a close family of misfits was now distant and disengaged. Reno kept up with them as part of his duties as current second-in-command, but gone were the days of working with the younger members on tough missions and organizing large office parties.

Reno and Rude's trips down memory lane inevitably led to one of them, this time Reno, saying, "Remember that time…" and telling a story about one of the other Turks. This example was about Balto, whom Reno still referred to by his nickname "Katana" based on his weapon choice. He rarely called them by their real names. He did use Maur's real name in Midgar during Meteor, but that was because things were too chaotic and urgent for casual teasing.

Even though the uneasiness that came with discussing the newly rehired former members brought them down, the stories they told from the old days eventually lifted their spirits.

With Rude suitably drunk and on his way home, Reno found himself trapped with unwelcome thoughts and feelings that kept cropping up on him, invading his mind like the kudzu vines threatening to choke the forests of Mideel.

_Monday_

Reno sat in his office in the new Shinra building, his feet propped up on his desk as usual. He was supposed to be looking through more of Hojo's research, but just as before, the words jumbled together just when he thought he was making progress. Hojo's notes were so dense, so heavy with his own scientific jargon, and written in such an odd script that they were more like ciphers than actual notes.

Reno's mind kept wandering back to Saturday night with Tifa and his growing concern that Rude was on to him. As much as he wanted to return to her bar and taste her lips again, he needed to give it a few days to let things cool down. Then he'd return to the bar, hoping to have her out of his system.

She'd be embarrassed about their secret, the dirty little secret that only they knew. She couldn't risk Rude finding out – or anyone else for that matter. The whole situation might just disappear as if it had never happened in the first place. At this moment, Reno hoped they could both simply move on.

"Reno, if you're not going to help look through the research, take Rude and go patrol!" Tseng called out from his office. He rarely kept his door open but had done so since they began sifting through Hojo's information just to keep the lines of communication open.

Reno's eyes lit up and he offered an exaggerated mock smile, wondering how Tseng could tell he wasn't making much headway. Patrolling the streets wasn't all that fun either, but it definitely beat sitting in the office reading. Of course, that also meant risking Rude asking to go into Seventh Heaven, but Reno was prepared to make excuses.

He gleefully stood up from his desk and sauntered out of the room with Rude following. He stuck his tongue out at Elena on his way out, but he knew she was happy to be left alone with Tseng again.

"Don't die," she said, returning to look at the papers in front of her. Her tone gave no indication that she cared whether they died or not.

The two left the building at a quickened pace. Rude was more subtle, but he hated spending his days at his desk pouring over Hojo's research notes as well. It wasn't their typical intel – that he enjoyed looking over, as did Reno – the journals left by Hojo were tedious and confusing, full of code words and undefined acronyms known only to the mad doctor.

"Ah, it's good to see the sun again," Reno beamed as he exited the building and stepped out to the sidewalk.

Just a few brave souls were on the street that day, walking briskly to their destination, their eyes darting around to look out for monsters.

It didn't take long for the Turks to find their first targets: An array of hedgehog pies causing trouble nearby. Their antics were pretty amusing, to be honest, as they sniggered and hopped along, grabbing and throwing anything they found. The Turks watched them outside one business; a small gift shop that was steadfastly remaining open despite the threat of destruction.

One of the pies climbed up onto the store's outdoor chalk board and was jumping up and down while another one found a piece of chalk and scribbled illegibly all over the store owner's handiwork. "Inside? Everything you need. Outside? Dunno, monsters," the sign said before the pies ruined it. A few others were trying to jump up to see into the store's window, their low cackle heard across the street. They chattered away as they continued their mischief.

When the store owner emerged to chase them off with a broom, however, things got ugly. The pies stopped snickering and bared their teeth at the owner while letting out a lengthy, menacing roar. Their eyes turned red and they latched onto the shop clerk, clawing at him with their hands and feet.

Reno and Rude ran over to the store and each kicked one of the pies down the sidewalk. Reno jammed his mag rod into another one, causing it to stretch out all its limbs and cry as volts surged through its body, its face twisted in pain and its plump little body convulsing. Rude punched another one of the hedgehog pies so hard it flew off the shopkeeper and into the window of the shop. It bounced off the glass without causing damage and got back to its feet, holding its head in pain. Rude ripped the last pie from the owner and spiked it.

The one that had hit the window regained its composure and leapt at Rude viciously, but the Turk easily parried the attack, sending the pie flying with a goofy cry. The remaining fiends chattered to each other and started running away as Reno began shooting at them with his pistol. They kicked the few dead pies that were in front of the store away from its entrance.

The only benefit to the increase in monster attacks was the emerging animal control industry. _Someone_ had to clean up all those dead creatures, and the Turks' work stopped at the killing part.

They continued down the main road but were thrown to the ground from behind by a pack of guard hounds.

"This is getting insane!" Reno said as his face was pressed onto the pavement, he cheek squished and causing his lips to protrude as he spoke.

Rude was also on the ground with a hound clawing at his back. Reno reached out his mag rod to electrocute the beast that was attacking his partner. Once he was back on his feet, the bald Turk returned the favor by kicking the hound that was tearing at Reno's suit collar. Reno leapt up and the two Turks killed the rest of the guard hounds easily, just like the zenenes they found in Hojo's Drum. It seemed like they were weakened by something. Rude examined the corpse of one of the beasts and found it was covered with lesions.

"What did this?" Rude asked his comrade. Reno shook his head.

"I don't know, but I don't want to stick around to find out," he said.

They managed to walk a couple blocks before they noticed something out of the ordinary. This particular block wasn't right. Nothing was moving, which was expected, but the Turks just happened to catch the anomaly out of the corner of their eye as they crossed to the next block. Something was amiss. This block had an extra house all of a sudden. It hadn't been there the last time they came this way, and it couldn't have been built that fast.

There was something else about the house that was off, besides the fact that it was in the middle of the side street. It looked rather dilapidated for the area, with crumbling panels and holes in the roof.

The duo slowed their walk but continued onward. They could hear the sound of wood and metal clattering behind them as if a bunch of materials were being shifted in a work zone. They turned around to see no movement, just that the odd house was no longer in the middle of the side street but closer to the corner they had just passed. They gave each other a confused look but turned back and walked forward once again. The sound returned. They spun around again and the "house" was now on the same street as them, even closer.

Reno and Rude narrowed their eyes at the building suspiciously, looked at each other, and then turned around once again. As expected, the sounds of moving lumber and metal started again, this time louder and more frantic. This time when they turned around, they could see the house was standing on four metal feet and had large pipe-like arms sticking out of the holes in the roof. A freakish metal head adorned with a massive glowing spike emerged from the transom.

Suddenly, the limbs retracted into the house and its windows began glowing orange as fire bolts started to rain down around it. Reno jumped into a nearby alley, rolling as he landed. Rude performed a roll dodge into the middle of the street. When he stood up, he noticed the cuff of his pant leg was on fire and shook his foot to put out the flame.

Reno ran at the – creature? Beast? Possessed construction? – with his mag rod charged and his pistol blasting, but the house rushed toward Rude, sending the bald Turk flying further into the street.

The windows turned green and Reno again darted toward the fiend, dodging to the side of the building and digging his mag rod straight through the wood siding. The monster opened its door and a gust of wind circled around the redhead, pulling him toward the house despite his best efforts to run the opposite direction. In an instant, he was pulled inside and the door slammed shut behind him.

Rude, meanwhile, provided a flurry of punches and kicks to the front of the hell house until it sputtered and collapsed into a pile of rubble. The elder Turk ran into the pieces of broken wood and began throwing them in all directions in a desperate attempt to locate his partner. A moment later, Reno emerged, gently lifting a board before Rude could grab it and looking dazed.

"Was that… sentient?" Reno asked, examining what was left behind.

He could not see any form of creature inside, even though the house had clearly been a fiend. All that lay on the ground before him was broken pieces of wood and piping.

Rude shrugged and turned away from the monster, thinking it was best not to think about it too hard. There were any number of wacky creatures in the world, maybe there really were sentient things that resembled homes.

They resumed their patrol warily, now suspicious of every building, car, and street sign. What else might come to life and attack them?

They had little time to ponder what they had just fought before they spotted a pride of zenene's casually strolling up the middle of the street. Every so often, one would break away to inspect a nearby building. At other times, they would fight each other if one bumped into another. Reno dreaded fighting them, finding them particularly difficult to look at now after Rude's comment in The Drum about their bright red hair. He was also startled by their presence in Edge – it meant at least some of Hojo's experiments had escaped the confines of his lab in the old Shinra building.

One of the emaciated creatures sniffed the air before snapping its head toward their direction and started to growl. The rest of the zenenes quickly followed suit, even a pair that had been in the midst of a fight. They were all staring at the Turks now, and began slinking toward them as they prepared to strike.

Reno groaned and readied his weapons once again. This town was getting way too dangerous. More importantly, it was taking up too much of his time – time he could be spending scheming and drinking.

Reno cracked his neck just before the first beast lunged at him. It got one good bite in, but a mag rod to the neck caused its swift demise. Due to their emaciated state, the zenenes fell quickly, but after hours of fighting, the Turks were exhausted regardless.

By now they were just a block away from Seventh Heaven. Salvation. Rude staggered toward the front door as the sky was turning dark. He paused when he realized Reno wasn't right beside him.

"You coming?" Rude asked, stiffly.

Reno remained on the sidewalk. Going in tonight – just two days after his encounter with Tifa – would be too soon. It was Monday, he needed to stay away until at least Thursday, giving her ample time to hate him and forget any notions of a relationship, if that was even on her mind at all. Though in all likelihood, that anger would surely be mixed with hope – hope that he hadn't gotten enough from her and hope that her suspicions that he was more than a Turk would be confirmed.

He hesitated and looked off down the street, back the way they had just come. He then looked down at his feet, trying to think of what he could say that would not arouse suspicion.

"Nah, I'm getting kinda bored with the talent here," Reno said. "I'm gonna go check out that new place on Mako and 5th."

Rude nodded and made a sound in his throat. He had been around Tifa without Reno before – just a couple days ago, in fact – and he could do it again. But things were different now, and he really wanted his friend's support despite his earlier misgivings.

Reno headed off back toward the new bar while Rude entered Seventh Heaven and took his usual stool at the bar. Tifa smiled warmly at him when he entered, but he noted something faint in her expression, like she was missing something. She continued to dry a glass with a dish rag and re-rack it before grabbing a new glass for Rude's scotch.

"Welcome back," she said in a rather chipper mood.

"Thanks," Rude replied, taking a sip of the drink Tifa placed in front of him.

She returned to assisting other customers for a while as Rude busied himself with his drink, unable to think of anything to say. Things seemed to be exactly as they had been before their date, with Tifa working and him trying to come up with conversation topics but failing.

She seemed to just breeze through the night, though Rude noticed she appeared to be waiting for someone. She kept looking at the door expectantly whenever someone entered. She had done that for a while after Cloud first left, but her need to check who was entering her establishment dissipated in the weeks and months after. Now she was at it again. Maybe she had heard from Cloud, Rude thought. Or maybe she was looking for someone else.

After a few hours – and more than a few drinks – Elena and Tseng entered Seventh Heaven and joined Rude. The bald Turk was now convinced he saw the smallest hint of displeasure escape Tifa's face when she acknowledged their presence.

He shook his head. He couldn't go down that road again just because his date with her hadn't gone that well. His mind simply must be playing tricks on him because he was exhausted and injured and now liquored up.

* * *

Reno didn't have a particular type of place he preferred. A popular bar like Seventh Heaven was fine, so was a dive bar, and so was a place like Elixir, a loud and harshly lit dance club. The only lights were neon colored and swirling around a dance floor and DJ booth. Black lights provided most of the illumination, but hot pink and lime green dazzled in quick flashes, cutting through the simulated fog. Reno made his way to the bar, which had a dark counter but bright white back lighting that nearly blinded him. He ordered his usual scotch and scoped out the dance floor, bringing his glass to his lips.

It was difficult to zero in on one woman in a situation like this, but Reno knew what he was looking for. He needed to get thoughts of Tifa out of his system before he could return to Seventh Heaven, otherwise he wouldn't be able to help himself and might abandon his carefully crafted plan to end things with the barmaid. His previous attempts to find other women to focus on had failed, but he was determined to keep trying to resume his previous ways to end whatever was going on in his head and making him soft.

He was scanning the room while leaning back on his elbows on the bar, dangling his glass over the edge casually. He wanted a specific type of woman, one that was similar enough to Tifa Lockhart, thinking if he could find one that look like her, maybe his brain would connect the two enough for him to stop imagining sex with the former AVALANCHE lieutenant.

There were several brunettes in his field of vision. One had short, curly hair. One was fat. One had no breasts. Another looked promising. She had long dark hair and a decent enough body. Her tits were practically hanging out of her leopard-print halter top. They weren't as big or perky as Tifa's. In fact, they kind of sagged. The skin on her face was also cracked and leathery from sun exposure, but she was pretty enough. She was a good enough look-a-like to satisfy him for the evening, so he weaved through the crowd until he was dancing with her.

She turned to look at him and smiled, approving of the man standing before her. They danced and kissed for a while before Reno popped the question. The woman readily agreed, and he led her to the bar to order her a drink. A few minutes after that, he was leading her to a back room, hoping to get this over with so he could go home and sleep.

The woman he pulled from the dance floor was satisfying enough. Once they were alone, she got on her knees and unzipped his fly without him even having to push her head down. It meant he didn't have to look at her face and could just watch long dark hair moving back and forth from his hips as her lips surrounded his cock. When she tried to look up at him he'd just push her head forward. He didn't need to see her. Her actions allowed him to close his eyes and think about Tifa in the same position. He was able to imagine that _she_ was in this storage closet on her knees before him. It was enough to get him close…

He grabbed this other woman under her arms and pulled her back into a standing position. He then turned her around so she was facing away from him, and he lifted her skirt. It was then that he noticed she had _no_ ass and a tattoo on her lower spine of a rose.

 _Typical,"_ he thought, rolling his eyes.

He pulled a condom out of his pocket and unrolled it on his cock before entering the woman. Usually he would ensure the woman would be left thinking about him long after he left, and he reveled in the thought that he was often the best lay these women ever had. But this woman served a specific purpose, and he was desperate for her to get him to stop thinking about Tifa, even if that was an unfair requirement to impose on her.

She still came. He did as well a few minutes after, stopping himself from saying another woman's full name.

"Teeeee-fuck…!" he said as he filled the condom.

He caught his breath before pulling out of the woman, who turned around and tried to kiss him. He turned his face and removed the condom before tossing it into the back of the closet. He zipped up his fly, buckled his belt, and without another word, left the woman in the closet before quickly and silently slipping out of the club and into the night. The woman remained in the closet for a moment, feeling rejected and confused.

A larger police presence took over at night to keep the monster population down. Reno had no interest in fighting any more creatures tonight. He was spent, and just wanted to get home and get through the next few days. He was detoxing, in a sense, and wanted the worst to be over already.

He kept to the shadows and sides of buildings to avoid detection and managed to make it back to his apartment on the North Side of Edge with minimal interaction with fiends. Turk work had paid him quite well, and he lived in one of the more expensive apartment buildings in the city. He, of course, was too lazy to decorate, so he purchased a fully furnished unit. It was cold, sterile, and monotone, with light gray walls and Berber carpet and sleek, black leather sectionals. There were no photos of friends or interests hanging on his walls, and it was sparsely decorated, mostly with abstract paintings that lacked color. His bedroom was no different, with a dark gray bedspread that was unmade and modern dark wood furniture. A pile of dirty clothes was the only "decoration" in the room that he contributed.

Reno removed his suit jacket, gun holster, and mag rod as he entered his home, tossing the first two items carelessly on the couch. He brought the mag rod with him into his bedroom and set it gently on top of his dresser in its charging station. He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it on the pile of clothes that was just about in need of washing. He collapsed face-first on his bed after removing his pants and shoes and remained in that position until morning.

Three more days until he would allow himself to even consider seeing her beautiful face again.


	16. Sixty Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Let it go, Elena." - Tseng.

_Tuesday_

Reno woke up against his will. His whole body ached – from sitting in a desk all day, fighting monsters all afternoon, and then dancing and drinking and fucking a strange woman in a small storage closet while avoiding a mop bucket and boxes.

He looked over at his clock, which seemed to scream at him in bright red numbers: 8:53. He slowly closed his eyes and opened them again, too lazy to even properly roll them. His arm was extended toward the electronic device, but no alarm had been set for him to stop.

He should have set an alarm. He was already late for work. Oh well, at this point.

He rolled his head to look the other direction, his face brushing against the pillow as he did so. Light was streaming in through his blinds and he felt the need to scrunch his eyes. The heat was already getting to him. With a prolonged groan he rolled over onto his back and stared up at his ceiling.

He considered calling out of work. He didn't think he could take another day like yesterday, and it seemed like every day was now like yesterday. He'd go into the office, try to read through Hojo's chocobo scratch, think about Tifa, go on patrol with Rude, fight a crap ton of monsters, and then go to Seventh Heaven. The schedule had changed slightly, since he was no longer going to Seventh Heaven, but every day seemed to be on repeat, like some cycle he needed to break.

He needed to go to a different bar tonight. Elixir was too…dirty. Not in the physical sense, it was more like the people there were just… gross. The more he thought about his encounter the night before – he wouldn't even call it a conquest – the more he found the woman revolting. She couldn't hold a candle to Tifa Lockhart, and though he had gotten off, the satisfaction was fleeting.

If he were to fuck a different woman each night before Thursday, he shouldn't try to find one that looked like the girl he _really_ wanted. He considered _not_ sleeping with any women, since he no longer found it satisfying, but he figured forgoing sex would keep his mind focused like a laser on the one woman he was trying to forget. For the first time in his life, he actually regretted the way he treated the woman from the night before. She may not have been a saint, but she was a human being.

He groaned again, louder this time. He'd been an asshole since before he could remember, he couldn't possibly be growing that conscience he heard so much about over the years.

He figured at this point that he should get the day over with. He sighed heavily and sat up slowly, swinging his legs over the side of his bed. He placed his elbows on his knees and ran his fingers through his hair before clasping the back of his neck.

This day was just starting. Sixty hours until he would allow himself to return to Seventh Heaven. He knew that setting a date and counting down the hours wouldn't help his addiction, but he told himself that by Thursday he would have her out of his system, so it wouldn't matter.

His whole body lagged as he stood up and stretched his arms over his head, intertwining his fingers in the air and then leaning to each side to deepen the stretch. He was stalling. He dragged his feet into his slate-tiled bathroom and discarded his boxer briefs. He stepped into the shower and let the cold water run down his lean, naked frame to wake him up before it warmed, letting his mind wander back to that night at Seventh Heaven with Tifa in his arms. Of course, he let his imagination run toward the dreams he had experienced after that went further than reality.

He shook his head before knocking his fist against the shower wall to clear the thought. He couldn't spend the next few days thinking about her – he'd never make it. Only hopeless romantics thought about someone this much and Reno was no hopeless romantic. He had never spent more than a few hours thinking about any particular woman – and that stopped once he bed her. He hated this hold she had on him. Hopefully the next two days would bring him back to his usual self. She was a trophy and nothing else, or so he told himself.

He took his time scrubbing his skin and washing his hair. He was already late, might as well skip the desk aspect all together. He let the water run over his face as he closed his eyes and opened his mouth. He could be in a shampoo commercial, he thought as he enjoyed the warmth.

Reno shut off the water and grabbed a towel, drying his face and then rubbing it against his scalp. He stepped out of the shower onto the cool stone floor and wrapped the towel around his slim hips, below his Adonis Belt, as he walked over to the sink and placed a hand on either side, looking at himself in the mirror. He looked like hell, but he usually woke up like that. People didn't realize how much life his hair provided to his look and persona. When it was damp, it just looked awkward.

Of course, with Tifa… Dammit! There she was in his head again. With her, even the lack of volume in his locks didn't keep him from being himself. Strangely, she didn't tease him about his hair, even though she had plenty of material to work with. He certainly _felt_ like a drenched rat that night at Seventh Heaven – for many reasons.

He slapped his cheek, hard. Then he slapped the other one. A couple more firm palms to each side of his face in an attempt to get her out of his head again.

He was pathetic.

He finished getting ready for work by the time his hair had nearly regained its usual shape. He grabbed a cup of coffee and headed downstairs. His car was still at the Shinra building, so he'd have to walk.

He started to perk up to his usual cockiness as he strolled down the street with caffeine in his system and a cigarette between his lips. He finished the cigarette and flicked it into the street before he entered the new Shinra building. Whether he felt completely like himself or not, he acted in his usual manner as he passed the front receptionist and anyone else on his way to the Turk's office. Elena and Rude looked up when he entered the room – he carried himself as if he were perfectly on time – but quickly returned to their work. Reno eased himself into his chair and was raising his feet up to his desk when a voice bellowed from the adjoining office.

"Reno, would you please come in here?" Tseng said in a tone that was somehow both pleasant and stern at the same time.

Reno lifted himself up and took a last sip of his coffee before carelessly tossing it into a nearby trashcan and strolling into Tseng's office.

"What's up, boss?" Reno asked, placing his hands in his pockets and approaching Tseng's desk. He appeared contrite, with a hint of confusion, as if he truly didn't know why Tseng would call him in.

Tseng looked up at him, his face showing no hint of what he was about to say. He laced his fingers in front of his chin and rested his elbows on his desk.

"What's with you lately?" Tseng asked.

"Whatcha mean, boss?" Reno's tone didn't change.

"You're distracted," Tseng accused.

 _That bitch_ , now she was interfering with his work. Reno shook off Tseng's comment and maintained his stance.

"Nah, I'm just bored," he said. "Reading Hojo's doodles isn't my idea of 'Turk stuff.'"

"I know," Tseng said, sighing and leaning back in his chair. "I hate it, too."

Reno was not expecting that. Even with Tseng's lack of expression he assumed he was about to get reamed.

Tseng stood up and walked around his desk to Reno, sitting back on the wooden frame.

"It shouldn't be too much longer. We're almost finished going through everything, and that should tell us how to stop the monster attacks," Tseng said.

Tseng was like Rude; he didn't usually say too much. He only said what was necessary, nothing more.

"I hope so," Reno said.

"Me too," Tseng said. "Just try to hang in there a little longer and I'll see if I can get Rufus to approve some real 'Turk stuff.'"

Tseng's words – however hollow they may have been – gave Reno a little motivation. The redhead's expression lifted as he turned to walk out of Tseng's office.

"Oh, could you do something for me?" Tseng asked as Reno was halfway out the door. Tseng and Rufus, always leaving one last comment to the very end. Reno twisted to face his boss, nodding.

"Sure."

"I'd like you to call Juget. I told her to see if she could find anything that might be of use in Professor Gast's old home."

Reno nodded again and returned to his desk. He had a particular fondness for Juget, since not only had he not slept with her, but she was more like one of the guys than any of the other female Turks. She was attractive, for sure, but she was the only woman Reno would actually enjoy having a beer alone with – without any expectations.

He sat down in his chair and rolled closer to the desk in order to reach his phone. He cradled the receiver against his shoulder and leaned back in his chair, bringing his feet up to the desk as he waited for her to pick up.

"This is Juget," she said tersely on the other end. Reno chuckled. Same old Juget.

"Heyyyy Martial Arts! How ya been?" he asked cheerfully, waiting for her disdainful reply. He was rewarded with a groan and an eyeroll he could practically hear over the phone. "Find anything at Gast's place?"

"Nothing," Juget said. Reno remained silent for a few seconds to indicate she needed to elaborate. She was even more brusque than Tseng. "The building was purchased by a local timber company for front office space."

"What happened to all of the professor's stuff?" Reno asked, finding an emptiness in his stomach at the news.

Gast was murdered before Reno joined the Turks, but he had learned about the scientist as a rookie. When Tseng said he had sent Juget to inspect Gast's old home, Reno thought they might find something actually useful, since Gast was a far superior scientist to Hojo – both in talent and morality.

"Office manager helped me locate a box. Everything else was donated or had already been taken, probably by Hojo when he raided the place," Juget informed him. "The box had nothing of value."

"Damn," Reno said, more to himself than to her. "Well, thanks for checkin', anyway."

Juget hung up the phone without saying goodbye. Reno returned the receiver to its dock and leaned back in his chair with some heft, causing the seat to bounce slightly.

The conversation caught Rude's attention and he looked over at his redheaded colleague. Elena was in her own world of colored pens, highlighters, index tabs, and the odd rush she got from organizing.

"What happened to the Faremis place?" the bald Turk asked.

"It's all gone," Reno replied. "Like he never fuckin' existed."

Rude released an agitated but sympathetic grunt in response. He wasn't a fan of decoding Hojo's notes or the daily patrols either. Tseng's mention of Gast's old lab started him thinking about other potential labs in the world where more useful information could exist.

"Can't _anything_ be memorialized in this fuckin' world?" Reno interrupted, slamming the butt of his fist against his desk for emphasis.

The redhead could practically _feel_ the pinch of Rude's eyebrows from behind his partner's shades, asking a question Reno didn't want to answer.

"Something wrong?" the bald Turk asked.

"Nah, forget it, let's just go patrol."

"Take Elena with you!" Tseng called from his office as Reno and Rude were getting ready to leave.

The blonde made a face to quietly express her dismay with the order.

At least with Elena, the Turks had access to some more materia, which made things much easier, though neither Rude nor Reno would admit it. She healed them between herds of elfadunks and Kalm fangs and more hedgehog pies and another one of those Goddamned _houses_. Even with the healing, the three were exhausted by the time they stood in front of Seventh Heaven.

Reno made a similar excuse as he had done the night before, prompting a hard look from Elena. She may have known Reno's feelings for Tifa, but that didn't mean she understood men and their courtship ways. She entered the bar with Rude, knowing she was in for a long silent night until hopefully Tseng arrived. Their boss had been tense ever since the team was relegated to reading duty, and needed to drink more than ever.

Reno, meanwhile, found a dive bar near his house, made eye contact with the first decent-looking woman there (she was on par with the woman the night before, but with blonde hair and implants) and began his usual process of seduction. It didn't take long for the woman to sidle up next to him at the bar, batting her false eyelashes at him accompanied with a flirtatious smile. Halfway through the drink he purchased for her, they were already making out.

As Reno tasted the fruity cocktail she had ordered mixed with his own scotch and a mutual cigarette flavor, his mind began to wander. The sounds of bar murmuring and the song playing on the speakers vanished, though if he had kept listening, he would have heard lyrics perfectly attuned to his current situation. It was as if the entire world ceased to exist around him, becoming nothing but a dark chasm that stretched in all directions. His mind blanked for a moment and he lost focus, his tongue still hovering in the woman's mouth.

His thoughts raced, filled with images of Tifa and the realization that the void he'd spent his whole life trying to fill with various vices was emptier than ever. Alcohol was no longer numbing the pain, and the thought of having sex with another strange woman made him want to vomit. The recognition hit him all at once and a panic began to set in. Suddenly, being the epitome of a hardcore Turk wasn't looking so admirable. This wasn't what he wanted anymore. But if the things he'd filled his time with previously were no longer desirable, what _did_ he want?

He opened his eyes and slowly pulled out of the kiss, his hand still on the woman's neck. The song and bar sounds crescendoed quickly, leaving him slightly disoriented. He searched her eyes for something, his own pupils darting back and forth between hers in an attempt to find something other than the hollowness staring back at him. She looked confused, but not completely disappointed, like the action barely registered.

"I'm sorry," Reno heard himself say, still trying to find salvation in the woman's eyes. "I can't do this."

His forehead wrinkled with uncertainty, his mouth slightly agape as he finally put the pieces together of a shattered life that could not be mended with alcohol or sex. Now the woman stared at him with a stupefied expression betraying her anger, one eye narrowing as she tried to comprehend what was happening.

Reno didn't stick around long enough to explain or to hear her questions – he needed more than she could offer. Instead, he dropped some gil on the bar to pay his tab and simply left the establishment. He could hear her following him out of the bar shouting obscenities at him, but he tuned her out and returned home, flopping onto his bed and trying to gather his thoughts before falling into a fitful sleep.

_Wednesday_

_"Same shit, different day,"_ Reno thought as he reached out a weary arm, fumbling to find his alarm clock and the button on top that would shut off that incessant beeping. He gave up trying to reach the alarm button – he wasn't about to actually _move_ to get to it – and settled on knocking it off the end table. His shove was too weak, however, and the clock instead dangled from the table by its cord, which was still plugged into the wall.

Reno let out his usual morning wail and pulled himself to the edge of the bed so he could reach the clock and pull it from the wall.

That shut it up. Smug little gadget.

He dragged himself into the bathroom and into the shower, again lingering as the water travelled down his body in streams. He considered taking care of himself in the absence of a desired partner, but it just wasn't his style. He didn't need to do that since he had always been able to find a woman, though only one woman was captivating him at the moment. He did spend a little extra time cleaning his manhood; he was a guy, after all.

He stepped out of the shower, drying his face and hair before wrapping the towel around his waist and stepping to the mirror. He had a pack of cigarettes waiting for him on the edge of the sink – a little gift from Tuesday Reno – and lit one up, holding the rolled tobacco in his mouth with one hand while the other brought the lighter up to the tip. He watched the flame of the light dance for a moment before flipping the top closed.

He dressed and grabbed a cup of coffee before again making the trek to work.

"You think the Gods will ever forgive us for we've done?" he asked Rude after a few hours of seriously working on Hojo's notes.

In the absence of other distractions, he dove headfirst into his work – just like he used to. He didn't go above and beyond like Elena, but he did keep his own notebook of information he thought might be valuable.

"Since when do you care about redemption?" Rude asked.

"Just a question, yo."

Rude brought his fist to rest under his chin in thought a moment. "I think some might."

"Yeah, but which ones?" Reno asked as he leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling as if the answer would formulate in the tiles.

"Carbuncle, maybe."

Reno shot his partner a glare.

They took Elena on patrol again. The whole episode nearly passed Reno by as if he were standing still the entire time with the rest of the world moving on double or triple speed. People, monsters, even some vehicles seemed to fly past him in a blur as he walked at a normal pace down the main street of Edge. Elena appeared to be speaking, but her words weren't even registering, so consumed Reno was with his epiphany from the night before.

Some ark dragons attacked them from above but were put in their place. Some sahagins crawled up from the sewer, leaving their stench behind even after they were killed and the Turks were several blocks away. A stampede of levrikons gave them the most trouble, as their size, speed, and numbers managed to separate the Turks and knock them to the ground. Rude was trampled by at least two of the beasts before Elena was able to burn one to death.

Reno came out of his stupor to dash between the birds to get to his friend, stabbing any that came close with his mag rod. He helped Rude to his feet and dodged the massive birds to move him to the side of the road, under the awning of a building where the levrikons weren't running.

"You okay, partner?" he asked. Rude simply waved him off as if his concern were a burden.

Reno then leapt back into the fray, emptying his pistol and stabbing wildly with his EMR as if he were taking personal revenge for Rude's injury. Elena kept casting various magic spells to take out more of the birds as they continued their run into the city.

Rude finally recovered enough – with the help of a cure spell – to return to the battle. He kicked one levrikon in the neck, killing it instantly, then twisted to kick another in the wing, which merely caused it to stumble.

"Why the fuck is everything going the same way?" Reno growled before jumping onto the back of one of the birds and holding on for dear life to find out where the creatures were going.

With two handfuls of scruff and feathers, Reno felt a smile escape his lips, the thrill he got from riding the bird overtaking his pensive mood. Within seconds he was cheering himself on. He could be a chocobo jockey with these skills. He was hundreds of feet away from Rude and Elena now, and coming up on the Meteor statue in the center of Edge. The bird showed no sign of dodging the statue, but Reno saw the herd moving swiftly around it up ahead and tightened his grip.

The levrikons were soon approaching the wall outside Old Midgar and began running down various side streets with seemingly no plan. The bird Reno was on followed a few others down a narrow alley that had several fire escapes on the sides of the buildings. The Turk dodged the first one but had to jump off his mount to avoid the second one. He landed unceremoniously in a pile of garbage bags.

He stood up, now smelling of garbage _and_ the sewer (stupid sahagins) only to notice that the birds were gone. He dusted off his suit and walked back to the main road (sidling along the wall just in case more ran down the alley) to look around. He saw just one more levrikon, running down the alley on the opposite street. It was limping and had singe marks on its side. The bird stumbled out of view, kicking up dust as it went.

"Well, it's the cops' problem now," Reno said, reaching his hands behind his head and sauntering back in the direction of Rude and Elena. At least he managed to have some fun, even if he did now stink.

He stopped, realizing he was close enough to his apartment that he could go and clean up before meeting up with them.

Rude and Elena were waiting for him outside Seventh Heaven, still looking disheveled. He relished the scowls on their faces as he realized he had not only kept them waiting, but he was now the only clean one of the bunch.

"Hiya guys!" he said with a jaunty little step in his gait.

"Where _were_ you?" Elena glowered, her hands on her hips.

"The birds ran all the way to Midgar. I jumped off in an alley and they were gone, so I went home and showered," Reno said as if it were no big deal.

"We were _waiting_ for you," Elena snarled. Reno shrugged. "Fine! I'm going home to clean up too, I am _not_ sitting around that bar all filthy."

"Maybe you should try it," Reno teased. "Might get Tseng's attention."

Elena gasped before stomping her foot and sulking in the opposite direction, back toward her home. Rude had let out a little smirk at Reno's comment and Elena's subsequent pout.

"Will you be joining us tonight?" Rude asked, crossing his arms. Reno put his hands in his pockets and slouched.

"Nah, still seeking talent elsewhere," he claimed.

Rude grunted before heading home to clean up as well. He hadn't been able to talk to Tifa since their date and was fairly sure a woman wouldn't be too enamored with a man that smelled like a sewer lizard.

Reno started walking home, lighting a cigarette before Seventh Heaven was even a block away. He put his hands back in his pockets and held the cigarette between his lips, inhaling and exhaling without ashing. Eventually a long trail of ash, which had been desperately holding on to the paper, fell from the cigarette but missed Reno's leg by a hair's breadth. The redheaded Turk continued walking toward his home but stopped when the shadow of Old Midgar began to loom ahead. Trying to sleep with various women was not going to get him over the barmaid, and what happened to Gast's old home in Icicle still weighed heavily on his mind. The fact that the professor's house was turned into an office for a damned lumber company just didn't sit right, especially at the moment.

Reno stopped just outside the gate to Old Midgar and stared up at the wall. From this angle, just the top of the hollowed-out former Shinra building could be seen, an ever-present symbol of what sins wrought. He sighed and placed a hand on the heavy metal door next to the old Sector 5 gate, without applying the pressure necessary to open it. After a brief pause, he pushed the door open and stepped through, taking in the sight of what had become of the old metropolis.

Sector 5 was not his destination; he slipped easily into Sector 6, taking care to give wide berth to Wall Market. It had been somewhat rebuilt after Meteor, since Edge didn't have such an "entertainment" district. The Honeybee Inn had been too badly damaged for Andrea to salvage, so he opened a club in Edge. But for those who missed the seedier aspects of Wall Market, they could find them so long as they were willing to brave the old city. As it stood, the place was mostly frequented by the degenerates who lived in the old slums. Reno didn't want the allure of cheap thrills and bright lights to act as a siren tonight.

He approached the gate that separated Sector 6 from Sector 7 and stopped. This was where it all started to go wrong. It was here when he first started to question his employer – and himself. The thought didn't escape him that it was also the place where he first encountered Tifa.

So much pain and misery – caused by his actions. He took a deep breath and stepped back from the wall to look up. The gate had been crushed by debris from the plate drop, which was now stacked up to block passage into the sector. The sector looked as it did before Meteorfall, since there wasn't anything left to wreck on the Chosen Day.

Reno shook his head and turned to look over his shoulder to where the playground used to stand. The moogle slide and old tires were long gone, buried under rubble from the calamity. The redhead couldn't see much of the ground in the area, but the pieces of debris weren't too big. He scanned the area, imagining how it used to look. Reeve was an idiot to not want to clean this place up. So many people living in Edge had been affected by the collapse of Sector 7 specifically, and even though Meteor took care of the rest of the city, Reno couldn't help feeling haunted.

It was getting dark, and the lanky Turk could only imagine the kinds of fiends that would appear in the ruined slums of Old Midgar at night. He made a quick exit back to Edge, sneaking past a gang that seemed more interested in drinking and rough housing with each other than searching for victims.

Back in Edge, Reno shoved his hands in his pockets and headed toward his apartment. The past two days had been both eye opening and depressing, and he hoped tomorrow would bring him the clarity he so desired now.

* * *

Elena couldn't help herself anymore. This was the second day in a row Reno had declined to join them at Seventh Heaven, and she knew from Rude that he hadn't gone on Monday. It was throwing off her entire theory. She had to know, even though she knew what it might mean to Rude. She was just too damn curious.

"So, what's going on with Reno?" she asked as innocently as she could manage.

"Let it go, Elena," Tseng scolded. He had joined them about an hour ago.

Elena couldn't just "let it go." Something had happened. Either between Rude and Reno or Reno and Tifa. It was eating at her. She couldn't even concentrate on Tseng with this question nagging at her.

"You had a date with her, but you still haven't even told me how it went," she pried further.

"Elena!" Tseng said, more severely.

Elena sat back in her seat and pouted. She watched Rude's face, hoping to get an answer from him, but he offered little in the way of expressions. Still, she thought she detected a hint of confusion on his own face, as if he had his own questions about Reno's absence. She could tell his date hadn't gone that well based on how he and Tifa interacted. It was as if the date never happened. Tifa had been getting more relaxed around the Turks over the past five months, but there had been no significant change in the past week after that date. Elena felt bad for Rude, knowing how much he liked the barmaid. She wanted to blame Tifa for the date going poorly (assuming she probably wasn't over Cloud yet) but knew that Rude probably just wasn't able to speak around her.

Reno's absence, however, was fascinating Elena. Maybe he was protesting for Rude, or jealous that Tifa had gone on the date? Maybe Reno was now tongue-tied around the brunette bartender, though Elena found that implausible. She drifted back to her theory that something had happened between Tifa and Reno, something Rude didn't know about but may now suspect as well. If something _had_ happened between the two, why would Reno be avoiding Seventh Heaven? Maybe whatever happened between them was unsatisfactory? Maybe she had been wrong about Reno's feelings for Tifa all along. Maybe he had slept with her and was now done pursuing her.

Elena didn't buy that either. Tifa was still too in love with Cloud Strife to give it up to a guy like Reno, whether she had a sex dream about him or not. Elena assumed Tifa was a prude. She carried herself like one of _those_ girls, for sure. Not that Elena was any better, and perhaps that was part of the reason she disliked Tifa. The barmaid was just like her in that department, but far more successful.

Elena wanted to know the answer, but she was not going to discover it tonight. She instead spent the rest of her evening flirting with Tseng, who seemed to be lost in his own little world. Elena rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. What an awful day.

_Thursday_

Reno still hated waking up to an alarm. Why had he plugged it back in? And then set it? He stretched up to support himself on his arms, reached for the alarm, and ripped it out of the wall again.

He showed it who was boss.

He sat back on his heels and stretched, flexing the muscles on his chest and back. It was another sunny day in Edge, and when he glanced toward the window, he felt at peace. He fell back down on his bed. Maybe he could just sleep the day away and get his thoughts in order.

He didn't know whether he had found clarity in a dream or if a decent night's sleep – free of alcohol and sex – cleared his head, but he came to a decision.

If he couldn't get Tifa out of his head by traditional means, then he'd stop trying. It was time to just give in and hope he wouldn't drown. He'd been playing in the deep end his whole life; he couldn't just keep treading water.

The decision gave him a new sense of purpose. He'd return to Seventh Heaven tonight and hope she hadn't given up on him in his absence. He wasn't planning on doing anything in front of Rude, but he was going to stop pretending he wasn't interested.

He knew what that might do to his partner, but at this rate, Reno didn't think _he_ could keep on his current path. Years in a slum gang followed by a decade and a half at Shinra had all been upended in a matter of months, and the possibility of a different, better life was far too enticing. Maybe Rude wouldn't find out – at least not until he was completely over Tifa.

But Reno had disappeared for days after he kissed her; it must have affected her negatively. If he was even going to _attempt_ to show her there was more to him than just a murderous Turk, he couldn't keep antagonizing her or simply making lewd comments. He needed to be something outside his comfort zone – he needed to show he could be thoughtful and considerate.

He picked up his PHS and clicked on one of his contacts.

"Hey Shotgun!"

Click.

He called back. No answer. His eye twitched. He called again. No answer. His nostrils flared. He called again.

"WHAT?" the woman on the other end yelled.

"Heyyyy I got a favor to ask ya," Reno said quickly, holding his breath in the hopes she wouldn't hang up.

"Fuck you."

"Awww come on, for old times' sake?"

"What do you need?" Shotgun said with a heavy sigh.

It took some coaxing (and letting her curse him for a while followed by the promise of an embarrassingly large payment), but she agreed.

Reno hung up and pumped his fist in victory. He walked into the bathroom with a certain amount of swagger and removed his boxer briefs before entering his shower. He took extra care to ensure he was squeaky clean and smelling of, uh, whatever Rogue Mountain smelled like.

He exited the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist as usual. He walked to the mirror and looked at the scruff growing along his chin. He rubbed a hand over it and considered growing a beard, a thought he had at least once a week. But the stubble was too sparse to leave for a day. He'd grown a beard once, long ago. It took about a month to fill in properly. He wasn't going through _that_ again, especially not by starting today. He lathered his face and shaved carefully but thoroughly. He slapped on a little after shave (Suave Panther, which he thought may have smelled like wood chips and some kind of plant) and walked to his dresser. He slipped on a pair of dark gray boxer briefs before heading to his closet.

He pulled out a freshly pressed white dress shirt and dark blue fitted suit. He buttoned the shirt up, leaving the top three undone, and put on the suit. He selected his favorite belt (no one knew it was his favorite) and buckled it, adjusting his pants so that the buckle sat nice and low.

He finished with socks and recently shined shoes, sprayed some cologne (Spice Noir? He couldn't even guess, but it worked in the past), holstered his pistol and secured his mag rod, and then headed to work after stopping for coffee.

He realized he arrived at the building just half-an-hour after he was supposed to be there. Too soon, might look suspicious. He hung back and smoked a cigarette, slowly. Still too early. He finished his coffee. Not yet. He looked around for something to do for a few more minutes and spied the store that had been attacked by the hedgehog pies a couple days earlier. He could kill some time looking at trinkets.

He entered the store and coughed. It smelled of earth and some candle a woman he once slept with had lit by her bed. It was rather pleasant, but overwhelming. The shop had all sorts of knick knacks, an obvious tourist trap. From statues of landmarks around Edge and Midgar to tacky t-shirts and fake license plates to some artisan brand soaps, the store had something for every poor sap who was prepared to drop gil just to prove they visited the city.

And then he saw them.

Had it been months ago, he might have smashed the display and threatened the owner's life, but today he found them hilarious.

Miniature bobbleheads – of all the AVALANCHE members.

"Oh. My. God," Reno said to himself, bending over to get a closer look. There was Cloud, Barret, Vincent, Cid – even that lion thing. Some appeared less popular than others. Reno was only looking for one.

There she was.

There was only one left. He grabbed it. She'd freak out. All part of the plan.

He paid for it and buried it in his inner suit pocket before heading into work. This day just kept getting better.

"What the hell, Reno?" Elena asked when he passed her desk. "What's with that smell?"

"I smell _nice_ ," he retorted. She wasn't going to bring him down. Not today.

"It's assaulting my nostrils."

"Yes, but after we patrol, it will mix with my natural manly musk –"

"Sweat," Elena interrupted.

"Natural manly _musk_ and I'll smell like regular ol' me," he said, grinning.

Reno figured he may have gone overboard and hoped it would dissipate a little before Rude, who was out of the room at the moment, came too close.

No such luck.

Rude walked out of Tseng's office and Reno's heart started beating a little faster. They couldn't know anything was different about today. Rude sat down at his desk with just a nod and his usual grunt to Reno, apparently none the wiser.

Tseng came out of his office and cleared his throat. Elena immediately spun her chair around to face him – a little too eagerly for Reno's taste.

"It looks like today's the last day we have to look through Hojo's research," Tseng said. The three seated Turks all cheered. Reno looked up and thanked the Gods. "Rufus thinks he's found something, but he hasn't said what, yet."

"So, what do we do when we're done?" Elena asked.

"We're on patrol duty for another week, then we'll accompany Rufus to Junon. He wants to consult with the scientists there."

Well, it was something a little more – Turk-y. Anything to break up the monotony of the past week.

"Finish up whatever documents you still have and then go on patrol," Tseng said before turning back into his office.

Reno threw what was left of Hojo's papers in the air after he found nothing in them. He pulled out the bottle of scotch he had stashed in his desk and poured himself a drink, gloating to Elena the whole time.

"First!" he said after his first victory sip. Elena smirked.

"I bet you say that to a lot of women," she said.

Reno thought of a snappy comment, but before he could say anything, he had a flash memory of that time Tifa made a similar joke a few months ago.

"No comeback?" Elena asked.

"I could say something, but I choose not to in front of polite company," he said, lifting his chin smugly. Not today, Elena. Not today.

Elena scoffed.

Reno was practically _vicious_ on patrol, like a man possessed.

"I'm just _sick_ of this shit, yo," he said when Rude asked what had gotten into him today. "I want to get back to the Turk Stuff."

The answer seemed to satisfy his comrades.

The trio spun around to see a small swarm of gorgers running toward them from a side street. Reno was _not_ going to let those bugs ruin all his hard work, so he danced around them, kicking any that tried to attack him but not so hard that he'd break their outer shell. Elena thankfully cast Ice to kill them in their tracks. No messy explosions splattering bug guts everywhere.

Another pride of zenenes attacked them, but they appeared even more emaciated than the last pack – almost like they were suffering from some disease.

"Just like the guard hounds," Rude said after the fiends were lying dead on the street.

"You've seen this before?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, the other day," Reno said. "They had lesions just like these and were pretty weak."

"Hmm," Elena said, bringing a hand to her chin. "I wonder if Rufus knows anything about this."

"As long as I don't catch whatever they have," Reno said, jabbing his thumb in the direction of a corpse.

It was getting late when they finally reached Seventh Heaven. Rude and Elena didn't even bother to ask Reno if he would join them. Instead, they just walked up the steps and toward the door. Reno was hot on their heels, however.

"You're joining us tonight?" Elena asked. His behavior was _really_ confusing her.

"Yeah, I looked around. This place is as good as any as far as loose women go," Reno shrugged.

Rude didn't say anything. He reached for the door and opened it.

Reno's heart started to flutter – which he hated – and he felt that tingling feeling in his gut. What was it? Nerves? He hated that, too.

His pupils dilated and his nostrils flared when he saw what was inside. He and his comrades rushed in; weapons drawn.


	17. Tifa's Week

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "That scrawny bean pole?" - Marle.

_Sunday_

_Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap._

The rain was still falling pretty heavily outside when Tifa's eyes begrudgingly fluttered open. Her eyes felt strained and puffy, as if her eyelids were telling her to just close them again. The sky outside cast a cool gray light over her bedroom – enough to see, but not enough to lift her spirits. At least today was her day off.

She opened the bar on Sundays only during soccer season to lure patrons in to watch the games, taking Tuesday off instead (Monday: Monday, Wednesday: Hump day, Thursday: Almost Friday). It was the only day she could spend cleaning her home, which wasn't very messy due to her ongoing regimen of tidiness. She'd use her day off to catch up on taking stock of supplies, running errands, and, if she were lucky, taking a few minutes to herself.

Thankfully, it was not soccer season.

Her body ached from being pressed into a hardwood floor, and she could still taste a faint hint of cigarettes.

Reno…

What the hell had she allowed him to do to her? She felt as though she had been drunk and made a bad decision – she certainly felt hungover, but it was not from alcohol. It was from guilt, shame, and the loneliness that had cropped back up into her heart. Being near Reno these days always seemed to create a whirlwind of emotions in her, both good and bad. She found herself missing him, wishing he were lying next to her. No, that wasn't it, she just missed not being alone.

Reno had not only been the first man to kiss her in about year, but he had also simply _been_ there. In a strange, unexplainable way, Tifa's guilt over moving on even the slightest from Cloud made it feel like he was in the room with her. Not in a literal sense, but as though he were omnipresent, like a God, just enveloping the entire bar. It made her feel less alone than she had felt in a long time, as if she were with both Cloud and Reno at the same time. Not like _that_ , it was merely the feeling that they were both in the room and they both cared for her.

Except she didn't think either of them really cared for her.

And now she felt more alone than ever. They were both gone. Reno had only been gone a few hours, but she had this overwhelming urge to see him again and to have him hold her.

She turned to her right, to look at the side of the bed where Cloud used to sleep. Despite the size, she only ever slept on one side of the bed anyway and hadn't wanted to cover up Cloud's… essence (again, not like _that_ ) that emanated from his side. If she were to sleep there, it would be like this was just _her_ bed and not _their_ bed. It would mean he was truly gone.

She needed to work through the emotions swirling inside her brain. What did last night's kiss with Reno mean? Did he like her? Did she _want_ that? What did he want from her? And why was she even wondering all this?

She lifted her head slightly to reach behind and remove the pillow from underneath her (she wouldn't dare take Cloud's) and brought it to her face to muffle a scream. She didn't want to be having these thoughts about Reno, or to feel that little bit of heat below her belt when he was around – especially when he was on top of her the night before.

She sat up and rubbed her forehead, feeling a matted chunk of hair that had been hanging down over her face. She had gone to bed with her hair wet and unbrushed, and she would pay for it today.

She also at that moment realized that she forgot to brush her teeth the night before, even after her desperate trip to the general store for toothpaste. Perhaps if she hadn't run her errand and gotten soaked in the rain, things wouldn't have happened the way they did. No, that wasn't likely, since Reno would have been waiting for her whether she was dry or wet. He had clearly come to her home with an agenda that night and she didn't think a dry top would have changed things.

She got out of bed and stretched her arms up over her head and then rotated them forward and back behind her, clasping her fingers and arching her back. She showered, again trying to scrub the guilt from her skin. She finally gave up and exited the shower to look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were less red and puffy, but her eyelids were heavy and her expression was haunted. She decided to lay back down. Maybe the next time she woke up she'd feel better.

No sooner had her head hit the pillow did her phone vibrate. At first she thought that maybe it was a text, possibly another from Reno. Either way, she didn't want to read it right now. But when it buzzed again, she realized it was a phone call, and lazily grabbed it off her bedside table and brought it to her ear that wasn't sunken into the pillow.

"Hello?" she asked groggily.

"Yo, girl! How ya been?" she heard Barret's booming voice through the phone.

She was glad to hear her friend's voice, but that first word he said – "yo" – was definitely _not_ a word she wanted to hear right now.

"Good," she lied in response.

"Glad to hear it! Listen, I was thinking of coming to Edge in a couple a weeks. Marlene's been _beggin'_ to see her Aunt Tifa," Barret said.

Tifa sat up, her wet mass of hair falling over her shoulder as she cradled the phone to her ear.

"Really?" she asked. Seeing her old friend and his wonderful little girl might be just the thing to perk her up. Besides, it would definitely give her something to look forward to.

"Yeah! The monsters are getting worse in Corel and Kalm. Marlene was hoping you could teach her some fighin' moves."

"I'd love to," Tifa agreed.

"Great! We'll be in town next Friday night. See ya then!"

Tifa closed her PHS and set it back on the nightstand. She hadn't seen Barret in a while. He had visited back when Cloud's headaches were first starting, but Cloud was still in a pretty good mood back then and took Barret's teasing in stride.

Tifa stared off into space, thoughtfully. Marlene was six now; precocious and inquisitive. Tifa worried about the questions the little girl would ask when she realized Cloud was no longer around. She dreaded that conversation. For adults, she would just repeat the answers she had given Vincent when he came to ask her to accompany him to Nibelheim, but a child like Marlene wouldn't accept those responses. How many "whys" would it take to make Tifa cry?

* * *

_Cloud and Tifa were sitting on the floor of the bar drinking the night before the furniture was supposed to arrive. They were already several drinks in each and laughing over the old days._

_"Hey, let me ask you something," Cloud said, using his drink to motion toward Tifa._

_"Shoot," she responded, still laughing from their last discussion._

_"Remember back when we were young…"_

_"We're still young, Cloud."_

_"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Remember way back when, when you came with us to blow up the reactor?"_

_Tifa didn't like where she thought this conversation was going. The old days were one thing, but anything relating to the time around Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie's deaths was another._

_"Yeah…" she said, timidly._

_"Okay, so like," Cloud was just a bit drunk, "we all left, right? Wedge was takin' care of Jessie, and we just… we just left_ Marlene _in charge of the bar!"_

_Tifa had always kicked herself for that. What on earth was she thinking?_

_"I know!" she exclaimed, too drunk to really feel the guilt. "Who leaves a four-year-old in charge of a bar?"_

_"And she accepted it," Cloud said, ending his sentence with a burp. "She was back there slinging drinks as soon as you asked her to watch the place!"_

_"I know!" Tifa was laughing uncontrollably at this point._

_She never had this conversation with anyone, and certainly never expected it to be in a lighthearted sort of way. Yet here she was with Cloud, laughing about the time they flagrantly and stupidly ignored child labor laws._

_"Did the slums have any rules about children working?" Cloud asked._

_"There are no rules in the slums, Cloud," Tifa said in a seductive tone, leaning back on her elbows and letting her chest rise a bit._

_"We would be_ such _terrible parents," Cloud responded, getting on his hands and knees to crawl toward her._

_"We'd be terrible," Tifa said, still in that low and sensual tone._

_Cloud now had an arm on either side of Tifa's chest and was closing the gap between their lips._

_"So terrible," he practically whispered before he kissed her._

_They made love on the floor of the bar that night. Drunk, sloppy love._

* * *

Tifa sighed at the memory. Marlene was surely better at "slinging drinks" now, she joked to herself. She left her bed once again and picked up a framed photo from her dresser. It was one of her most prized possessions, a photo from years ago of her, Cloud, Barret, Marlene, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. Cloud clearly didn't want his picture taken ("This just seems like evidence, to me" he sulked at the time), Barret had Marlene propped up on his shoulder, and Tifa and the others had their arms around each other's' waists and were smiling.

She sighed. Everything seemed so possible back then. They were taking on the world without really considering the consequences. She ran her fingers over the image, closing her eyes tight and wishing that they would all be standing in front of her when she opened them. It never worked.

They were dead.

And Reno helped kill them.

She put the picture back down and choked back some tears. She needed to remind herself why she hated that flame-haired Turk, even if he didn't _seem_ like he was still the type of person to kill a large portion of a major city. Coeurls never changed their spots, after all.

She put on some clothes and cinched her raincoat tightly around her waist before grabbing an umbrella and heading to the orphanage. She couldn't give the children their usual lesson outdoors, but she wanted to see them, nonetheless. Working with the kids always lifted her spirits, as did Marle.

"You gonna tell me what's troubling you?" Marle asked after Tifa finished giving the children a modified lesson indoors.

Marle _always_ knew – and Tifa really thought she was hiding it this time. Marle apparently was better at hiding that she was on to Tifa than Tifa was at pretending nothing was on her mind.

"How do you always know?" the younger brunette asked, almost sternly.

Marle laughed and poured herself another cup of tea as the children played in the next room. Oates was gone, happily living with his new family as if they had been together all along.

Tifa hadn't planned on going to Marle's orphanage today, but after the events of last night she needed to get out of the house for a little bit.

"I kissed someone who wasn't Cloud," she said after a pause capped with an extended sigh to prepare.

"One of those Turks?" Marle asked in response, not seeming all that surprised.

"…yes." Tifa couldn't look Marle in the eye, so afraid of the older woman's judgment. But Marle was kind and supportive. Tifa knew deep down she was not being judged.

"Which one?" Marle asked.

She had seen the Turks before. They occasionally prowled Sector 7 over the years that AVALANCHE was active. She saw the bald one most, since he had dated a member of AVALANCHE before Tifa was brought into her care. She'd also seen one with bright red hair, long black hair, and a woman she couldn't recall.

"Reno…" Tifa sounded like a child admitting to making a mess.

"Is that the bald one?"

"No. That's Rude."

"I'm sorry?"

"His name is Rude."

"Oh," Marle chuckled. She never knew their names.

"Reno is his partner, the redhead."

"That scrawny bean pole?" The words escaped Marle's lips before she considered how they would sound. She never pictured someone as strong and fit as Tifa with a man that looked like a light breeze could blow him over. Then again, Cloud was pretty pathetic looking when Tifa first found him at the train station.

"You know him?"

"The first time I saw him was before Zangan brought you to me," Marle reminisced. "You don't forget hair like that."

"No, I guess you don't," Tifa chuckled.

"He came around looking for his partner, the bald one, who used to date a girl who worked with AVALANCHE before you came around. Part of the old guard."

"Rude used to date someone in AVALANCHE?"

"Her name was Chelsea. Broke her heart to hurt him."

Tifa pondered this new information. Rude never told her about Chelsea. Tifa knew the names of some of the old members of AVALANCHE from before Barret took over the Midgar cell, like Elfe and Fuhito, but she had never met them. She was too young to be a part of their wars.

"Interesting…" Tifa said, unsure if she should – or could – ask additional questions.

"So, tell me what happened with you and the Turk," Marle prodded. Tifa cursed herself, thinking she had been freed from further interrogation.

"I went on a date with Rude," Tifa began.

"Wait, wait, back up," Marle interrupted. "You _what?_ "

"I… I agreed to go on a date with Rude," Tifa confessed. "He asked me out a while back and Reno convinced me to go out with him. I also thought I needed to try moving on from Cloud…"

"Reno? As in the redhead you kissed? He set you up with his friend?"

It all seemed so scandalous when Marle said it out loud. Tifa's cheeks turned red; she had never acted so selfishly before; it didn't suit her.

"Yes…" she finally admitted.

"Tifa, why haven't you told me all this before?"

"I didn't want to be one of those pathetic girls who only talks about her love life."

Marle leaned back and laughed before reaching across the table to cover Tifa's free hand with her own.

"I don't care what anyone may think, I want to know what's going on in your life – and right now this seems to be important."

"I guess I was embarrassed, too. I feel like I'm betraying Cloud."

"You told me what happened up north. I don't think any of this counts as betrayal after what he said."

"I… guess you're right."

"So, tell me about the date – and how you ended up kissing the other one."

Tifa propped her head on her fist and set down her cup of tea, taking a deep breath.

"I went out with Rude. It was nice. No sparks or anything. When I got home, Reno was waiting."

Marle nodded her head along as Tifa spoke but was unable to contain her questions.

"He said he just wanted to know how the date went, but it didn't make sense that he wouldn't just ask Rude. He got real close to me and we kind of… fell into the bar."

"And you kissed him?"

"No, I… started thinking about Cloud. I gave him a towel to dry off and before he left he kissed me."

"Well?" Marle asked.

"Well, what?"

"How did it feel?"

Tifa's cheeks again turned pink. "I… don't know," she said.

Marle gave her a knowing smile and nodded her head.

"I think it's good you're trying to move on," the older woman said.

Tifa left the orphanage more confused than ever. Marle seemed to be on board with this relationship and she didn't know why. Marle had lost everything in Sector 7, too, yet _she_ had seemingly gotten past Reno's deeds.

The brunette returned home and spent time getting the guest room ready for Barret and Marlene's visit, though it didn't need much work. No one had used it in nearly six months – since Cloud moved into it before he left – so all it really needed was some dusting.

She then moved downstairs to clean the bar. The wood floors had absorbed the water she and Reno had brought in with them last night, but she hadn't gotten a chance to clean up after she closed the bar early for her date with Rude. Closing early on a Saturday night definitely wasn't good for business, but Tifa didn't really need the money. She and Cloud had sold a few Magnify materias after Cid left them in Nibelheim in order to buy some property. They ended up using it for Marle's orphanage and to pay the people who helped build the bar and apartment in Edge with enough left over to live off of for the rest of their days if they wanted to. But Tifa couldn't just sit still the rest of her life. She wanted a home and a… family… but she also wanted something that was her own. The bar in the slums brought in decent business, and she believed she could do even better if she could design a bar herself in a good location.

And Seventh Heaven _was_ doing well. Better than she ever expected, although a good chunk of it was thanks to the Turks' expensive drinking habits and generous tips (well, Rude's generous tips).

She placed the chairs on top of the tables and polished the bar after running the dishwasher. She dusted and polished the liquor bottles and made sure they were all facing forward. She would go over everything again tomorrow before opening, but she felt a need to do it now as well.

Whenever she would take trash out to the dumpsters now, she would still be cautious, just in case Reno was hanging around. She definitely did _not_ want to see him today.

Once her chores were done, she curled up on the couch with a novel until it was time to go back to bed. This night, she spent quite a while untangling her hair before crawling into bed.

_Monday_

Tifa woke up in a better mood today. The sun was finally out and she was one day closer to seeing Barret and Marlene. She was already starting to think about what they could do that didn't require a lot of time outside walking since the streets were too dangerous and so many businesses had to close. Of course, battling monsters would be much easier with Barret around, but she didn't want to take the chance of Marlene getting hurt.

They wouldn't be able to stay cooped up inside all weekend, but there were a few places nearby – like the ice cream shop – that were still open and that they could get to relatively easy.

She hopped out of bed and performed her stretches before stepping into the shower and letting the warm water wake her up. She ran her fingers through her hair (as best she could) while washing, the way shampoo models did. She finally felt clean after this shower and wrapped a towel around her body as she stepped out onto her bathroom rug. She took a second towel and wrapped it around her head, with some hair hanging out the back due to its length. She strolled over to her mirror to see that she was looking much more like herself today. Her eyes were open and brighter and the dark circles under her eyes were gone.

She didn't even dread seeing Reno later when the bar would be open. She assumed he would be there with Rude to tease her and gloat. She just hoped Rude wouldn't find out about her little tryst – no, let's not call it a tryst – with Reno. It would hurt him no matter when it happened, but having it happen _right after_ their date had to be extra cruel.

How could she have done that?

She was trapped between feeling guilty and exhilarated. She hadn't thought that she missed a man's touch, but now that she had a taste, she couldn't believe it had been so long.

_But it was Reno!_

She got dressed and tidied up her home before traveling down to the bar.

Thump, thump, thump.

Tifa knew what that sound meant. She grabbed her gloves and headed out her front door to find some grashtrikes slithering through the streets, hitting buildings with their tails. Tifa kicked the one that had just been thumping against her bar, sending the creature flying into the air and down the street. Its screech grabbed the attention of the others, which turned toward Tifa and began advancing on her.

She psyched herself up and charted her path. She ran up to the closest creature and jumped up, bouncing off of its head to reach the next creature and doing the same. She continued this staggered "walk" over one more grashtrike before performing a somersault kick on the last remaining one – the queen. By the time she landed back on the ground, they were all dead.

She soon arrived at the orphanage to give the children a proper lesson. Some of the kids were really taking to martial arts. Tifa still hoped that Zangan was traveling the world and teaching and that, if he ever met the children, he'd be proud of her teaching skills.

Marle didn't ask any more questions about Reno, but Tifa caught her making wry smiles every now and again. It was just as embarrassing. She made a hasty getaway to avoid a longer conversation with the older woman in order to return to the theater to help put in some flooring before fighting her way back to her bar to prepare for opening.

The bar was already clean, but she had her opening ritual anyway: Mop the floors, polish the bar, dust and straighten the liquor bottles, re-rack any stray glasses, place the chairs, and clean the tabletops. In that order. Every night.

It was just about time to turn on the "Open" sign.

She smiled when Rude came in that night but couldn't help but be a little confused that Reno wasn't with him. She had prepared herself to act casual around the sharp-tongued Turk and ignore any barbs he might throw her way regarding Saturday night. She shook it off and smiled at Rude.

"Welcome back," she said as cheerfully as possible before placing his usual drink in front of him.

"Thanks," Rude replied.

So, that's how it was going to be. She actually took comfort in the fact that things had gone back to normal between them. She had worried the night would be weird, but Rude was his usual quiet self. Of course, Tifa didn't know what was going on in his head.

She assumed Reno was either waiting for her out back or trying to toy with her by making some grand entrance later. She was even prepared for him to bring another woman just to be a dick. But when she went to take out the trash he wasn't there. Elena and Tseng eventually joined Rude, but Reno never came.

After she closed up the bar, she sat down at a table to count her gil for the night. Rude had left a large tip, just like always, and Tseng drank more than usual, giving her a pretty nice profit for the day. She put some of the gil in her petty cash box and prepared the rest for the bank in the morning. It was her usual morning errand, finding that mid-morning was usually the quietest time for monster attacks. Even better, it was on the way to Marle's orphanage.

When she finished up, she climbed the stairs to her apartment above and gently fell onto her bed, closing her eyes and drifting peacefully to sleep.

_Tuesday_

Tifa woke up easily and went through her usual morning regimen: Stretch, shower, deal with hair, go to bank, give the children a lesson, run additional errands, help build the theater, return to the bar early to get ready for opening and deal with any monsters.

As she was returning home from the theater, a small herd of elfadunks could be heard wreaking havoc nearby. Tifa ran over and grabbed one by the horn, turning her back to it as she did so, and then hunched over and threw the creature up over her back and to the ground at her feet. She thought back to her fight with an elfadunk in the city several weeks earlier, when Reno had helped her out. It was the first time he showed any hint of humanity toward her. The memory also got her thinking about how he used his mag rod... on the monster, that day.

The beasts turned and ran in the opposite direction. Tifa would have chased after them, but she was blindsided by the creatures they were _actually_ running from: A pack of Kalm fangs. One lunged at her from behind, knocking her to the ground and clawing at her back. She screamed out in pain and twisted around so she could grab it by the chest. She placed a foot on its gut and pushed off to fling it behind her. It yelped as she got back to her feet. Two more jumped toward her, baring their teeth. She leapt into the air and kicked out to both sides, taking them both down. She expected more to attack, but instead their ears perked up in another direction and ran off. Tifa assumed the police were nearby.

Rude and Elena came to the bar shortly after it opened that night. Where was Reno? She knew he had to be playing some kind of game, it's what he was best at, but she was starting to wonder. Maybe he got enough from her Saturday night and was bored. Maybe it was all an act. Maybe she was a bad kisser… She started asking herself too many questions, and she soon found herself just wishing he would walk in the door and put her fears to rest.

Tseng joined them a little later, but again Reno didn't show. Tifa continued to act as if she didn't even notice he was gone, but inside she wanted to ask them about their red-headed partner, or at least overhear something about him.

After another long night, she closed up and counted her gil. She slowly walked up stairs and into her bathroom. She removed her shirt and bra and looked at herself in the mirror. What was wrong with her? Why did Cloud leave? And now Reno? Was she just not exciting enough or good enough?

She put on a nightie and fought back tears when she crawled into bed. She would _not_ cry over Reno. She may have cried after their encounter, but that had more to do with Cloud.

_Wednesday_

_"Same old, same old,"_ Tifa thought when her alarm went off. Still no texts from Reno. She was again getting tempted to send him a message, something simple like a "?" and leaving it at that, but she had more self-control than that.

She stepped out of bed and performed her morning stretches. She then undressed and slipped into the shower. She turned the temperature up and stood under the hot water, examining her body for imperfections. She flexed her muscles and considered the possibility that she was _too_ muscular. Did she look mannish? Was her hair too long? Her butt too big? Her boobs too saggy?

No, she couldn't start thinking about that. Even if her problem was physical, she didn't know what needed to be fixed. If the problem was her personality, well, there was little she could do to change that. And if that were the case, it was time for her to find someone who liked her for who she was.

She couldn't let these boys lower her self-esteem. Just because they didn't want her didn't mean _no one_ wanted her. And she still wasn't convinced that they had both completely rejected her.

She had already gone over her relationship with Cloud – all the times he told her he loved her, all the times they had sex, all the times they laughed, all the things they did together, and all the future plans they made.

Now she found herself going over her experiences with Reno. _He_ was pursuing _her_. He was the one that kept showing up out of nowhere and texting her. Maybe he was waiting for her to come to him? Maybe she hadn't given him enough to keep him wanting more? That couldn't be true, he saw her partially nude a few days ago, his face was gleaming. And their kiss, while sensual, definitely ended too soon – at least she thought.

She just couldn't understand why the redheaded bastard had gone dark.

Tifa turned the water off and wrapped a towel around her head. She grabbed her red satin mini-robe and put it on before approaching the mirror. Today would be the day she _stopped_ letting boys make her doubt herself. She finished getting ready and went about her day as usual: She went to the bank, taught the children, ran additional errands, helped build the theater, and then returned to the bar early to get ready for opening and dealing with any monsters that came by.

Another stampede of levrikons appeared before it was time to open. Tifa groaned and put on her gloves to run outside and start the fight. She dove shoulder-first into the first one she saw and they both tumbled to the ground. Tifa got to her feet first and crushed the bird's neck before swinging her other leg out to kick the next bird square in the chest, dropping it to the ground.

Another bird pecked at her arm as it passed, causing Tifa to wince as another creature knocked her to the ground. Angered, she began running in the opposite direction of the stampede, punching one bird, kicking the next and somersaulting back to the ground. She crouched low to the pavement to sweep another bird off its feet. The bird slowed to a near stop and started limping as it tried to escape, quickly falling behind the rest of the herd. Tifa picked the next bird up and slammed it down to the ground. The flock was thinning out now, and she needed to finish prepping, so she dodged a couple birds to cross the street back to her bar.

She had barely returned to the bar after flicking on the "open" sign when the landline started to ring. She answered the phone, silently praying it wasn't one of her vendors saying they would be late with a delivery.

"Hello Miss Lockhart," a familiar, grating voice said on the other end. "Just calling – again – to see if Mr. Strife—" Tifa hung up before he could finish.

Every week now. Every week, the same reporter from the Daily Buzz – which had been rebuilt after the fall of Midgar – would call and ask her for any updates on Cloud. At first, she asked him to stop calling her, but that resulted in negative stories that she was lashing out at her friends and family. They didn't even bother to call any of her friends. In hindsight, she was thankful for the shoddy journalism, since it kept the other members of AVALANCHE from knowing about Cloud's absence.

Now she just hung up on them. Reporters weren't hanging around the bar as much as they were shortly after Meteorfall and after Cloud left, so the stories about Tifa and her friends weren't as numerous, yet still this reporter called. And every time he did, she was reminded of how alone she was in the world.

Rude and Elena were later than usual. For a moment Tifa thought maybe all the Turks were on assignment and unable to come to her bar. That got her thinking that maybe Reno was on a special assignment and that was why he hadn't come into the bar all week. It was a little comforting, at least.

Tseng joined them again that night. Tifa overheard him scolding Elena about something, but she couldn't tell what about. Again, Reno never made an appearance. At this point, Tifa was pretty sure she had done something wrong and driven him away.

She ended up becoming pretty depressed about the whole thing by the time she closed the bar. As she worked to clean up, however, she started getting angry. Angry at Cloud. Angry at Reno. Especially Reno.

She would _not_ let some _murderer_ make her feel bad about herself. She would _not_ sit around sulking and waiting around for him – or Cloud.

Barret and Marlene were coming in a week. She just had to make it to then before she wouldn't be alone.

She wanted to see the stars. When she was traveling with AVALANCHE around the world, she was able to see the sky most nights while camping on the open road. And other than Junon and Rocket Town, the villages around the world weren't big enough or well-lit enough to block out the stars, so she'd be able to watch them while everyone else was sleeping.

The stars in Nibelheim were her favorite, even if they did bring back some painful memories. The good memories outweighed the bad, like promises made; promises kept. Even now, she felt comfort under the night sky, and so she climbed outside her bedroom window and stood up so that she was facing the building. A simple hop allowed her to grab onto the edge of the roof and pull herself up.

She didn't come up here regularly, only when her urge to see the stars became overwhelming. There was too much light pollution in Edge to see more than a few stars, and even they could only be seen if one concentrated on one place for a few seconds. Still, it's what she had, and the skies had cleared from the recent storms.

She sat with her back against the parapet and stretched her left leg in front of her, bringing her right knee under her chin. She found one star and concentrated on it for a few seconds as the musty brown night sky came into focus. She started to see a few dimmer stars around the one she first saw and sighed.

She couldn't will them to appear.

_Thursday_

Tifa woke up with more determination than she had all week. Barret and Marlene would be here in a week, and she was _done_ wondering what happened to Cloud or Reno. She hopped out of bed and gracefully performed her morning stretches.

Today she would be her old, strong self. She showered and combed her hair, trying to think about _anything_ other than those damn boys. She decided to wear her new – well, now not so new – outfit in order to feel good about herself. As she was rolling up her second thigh-high, her phone buzzed.

"See you next week!" followed by another text: "That was from Marlene."

Tifa smiled as she walked down the stairs into the bar. She picked up the envelope of gil from the night before (kept in a hidden safe in the back room) and headed out to the bank.

She had no other errands to run today, so she went to the orphanage right after, followed by the theater.

The walk home included a swarm of gorgers skittering toward her. Tifa had always hated fighting any type of insect-like creature. Their carapaces broke pretty easily under her blows and she always ended up covered in their guts. She didn't want to ruin her favorite outfit, so she tried to avoid as many as she could and only hit the ones that came after her. She managed to get back home with sludge just on one arm, on her skin. She considered herself lucky.

She strolled into her bar and practically danced through her preparations. She was determined to get her life back on track now, especially since she didn't want Barret to ask too many questions about her mood.

She flicked on the "open" sign and took her place behind the bar, smiling for what new possibilities awaited her now.


	18. Nice Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You here to break me out?" - Tifa Lockhart.

Tifa was no stranger to bar fights. In fact, she had to break up several each week in her own establishment. The combination of alcohol, daily tensions, and heated conversation often resulted in two or more patrons engaging in violent behavior.

The brawls were much easier to deal with when Cloud was around. While Tifa could take out anyone threatening to fight in her business, all Cloud had to do was tap the tip of his sword on the floor in sight of the stewing customers and the disagreement would come to a halt. Just the threat of facing the Ultima Weapon would strike fear in the patrons, causing them to retreat, often with quick apologies.

Tifa's weapons, being her fists, weren't so easy to grab attention without an actual blow. Having dealt with multiple fights, however, her customers knew that if she started toward them with her fists raised, it was time to calm down. Occasionally the fight would be in the early stages, with the participants circling each other over toppled chairs. If the cheers from the witnesses weren't too loud, Tifa could stop the fight with the sound of creaking leather as she pulled on her gloves. She loved when that happened, but the circumstances had to be right.

Rarely, Tifa actually had to use brute force to stop a ruckus, though she tried to avoid that at all costs. Beating up paying customers shouldn't be good for business, but she had always received applause from those watching when she leveled someone who had gotten testy.

Then there was the fact that she was a famous martial artist. While she had needed to subdue customers before, none had ever attacked her. They came to her bar to drink and look at a beautiful, famous woman. They neither wanted to harm her beauty nor take her on in a fight. She had already proven to many now-bruised egos that she couldn't be taken down by anyone. She had fought Sephiroth himself. No construction worker or coal miner or even professional fighter could compare to that.

Because of the nature of the fights and their timing, she never really had to worry about weapons being used. Sure, sometimes a patron would smash a bottle and try to use the broken end against their opponent, but no one dared to bring weapons into her Edge bar.

Until tonight.

It started innocent enough, two customers who had been in before and appeared to be chums engrossed in a heated political discussion while drinking hard liquor. One of the patrons, a large, burly man who may have been even brawnier than Barret (without the gun arm, of course) seemed to be getting angry fast. The other man, a short, stout individual with thinning hair, was matching the larger man's energy.

Tifa couldn't help but overhear the argument once it reached the volume that caused other patrons to stop what they were doing and glare. The two were hashing out whether coal and oil were any better than Mako as an energy source. At some point, both sides seemed to forget what their original positions were and took to outright personal insults toward the other.

Once the larger man stood up from his chair, causing it to fall backward and the table between them to screech as it shifted several inches at his sudden movement, Tifa decided it was time to step in and stop the altercation before it went any further.

"Excuse me," she said as politely as possible while still imposing a sense of authority. The two men continued to stare angrily at each other without acknowledging her presence. "I think it's time you two left."

That sent the two men into a rage, the likes of which Tifa had not seen since she operated a bar in the Sector 7 slums. It was not uncommon for patrons at the old Seventh Heaven to draw weapons on each other. Heck, even Barret had unloaded his gun arm in fits of rage back then. Tifa couldn't count the number of days she spent trying to sand down and cover bullet holes in the walls.

The larger man started shouting obscenities and reached into the back of his waistband to pull out a Peacemaker, which he promptly pointed at his drinking buddy. The smaller man retaliated by pulling out his own firearm, a Quicksilver, and aimed it right back at his discussion partner.

Tifa took a step back from the two men. She slowly reached down into her pocket, keeping her movements low and steady to hopefully stay out of their peripheral vision. The men were locked onto each other, neither moving nor saying anything. The other customers had abandoned their tables and backed against the wall when the men first stood up. They were now frozen in place, some holding their hands up to beg for their lives.

The room was uncomfortably quiet. The other patrons didn't even appear to be breathing, so afraid of what may happen.

Tifa removed her Premium Heart gloves out of her pocket, sliding the weapon over the leather of her skirt and then stretching them down along with her arms to squeeze her right hand into one glove. She took extra time to pull the edge of the glove back over her wrist to secure it to her hand before taking the other one and doing the same with her left hand.

She then bent her elbows to begin raising her fists. Once her fists were in line with her waist, she raised her elbows so that her hands were in a defensive position in front of her face. She also placed her right foot back a step to allow better footing.

She had practically been moving in slow motion as everything around her was stopped, as if they were all in a movie scene.

"I said," Tifa finally broke the silence, "I think you should leave."

She bent her knees and readied herself for battle. Upon hearing her words, both men pointed their guns directly at her face. Then, realizing the other was unguarded, they turned their weapons on each other. They changed their targets multiple times, now unable to decide whether they should shoot each other or the bartender who had challenged them.

It was at that moment the door to the bar was opened, the familiar chime of the bells ringing overhead. Neither Tifa nor the men with guns had time to register that someone new had entered the establishment before they were surrounded, as if the people who had entered had teleported from the door to where the fight was about to begin.

Tifa blinked and saw Rude standing in front of her, on the other side of the men. He, too, had his fists up and staggered in front of his face, prepared to assist her in the fight. Also in Tifa's line of sight was Elena, who stood to Rude's right and had the end of her pistol just millimeters away from the smaller man's face.

Tifa instantly felt calmer seeing the Turks in front of her as backup.

"Move one inch and I'll send you to hell," Tifa heard a familiar, missed, and cocky voice from behind the larger of the two men.

She couldn't see him, but Reno had his mag rod pressed against the man's cervical vertebrae, right at the base of his skull.

What happened next truly did move in slow motion for those involved.

Tifa had one gun pointed at her face (the large man's). She used the slight apprehension he exhibited when Reno spoke to swat his gun away from her with the back of her right hand. He didn't drop it, but was now pointing toward the back area of the bar, away from any other patrons.

In the instant it took the man's face to contort into one of shock – his mouth opened, his eyebrows lifted, and his eyes widened – Tifa spun to her right, lifting that same leg behind her and bending her knee so that when she twisted back around her heel would connect with the large man's face. As her foot hit, the skin of the man's cheek rippled across the rest of his features, causing his lips and nose to gravitate to the left, almost to the point of ending up on the side of his face. A bicuspid dislodged from his mouth, twirling in the air like an asteroid floating through space as it passed underneath his front teeth, arching down toward the floor until it was lower than the countertop, lower than the seats of the stools, lower than the footrest of the stools, and finally hitting the floor with a clicking sound before bouncing twice more and landing again with a similar sound. Finally, it slid a few inches to its resting place near the front door.

The large man's eyes rolled back into his head as blood and sweat evacuated his head due to Tifa's blow, joining their toothy brethren on the floor near Reno's boot.

As the large man was reacting to what would cause him to black out and crumple to the floor (only to wake up later in the hospital with the worst headache of his life), the smaller man's lips formed a circle in order to say something. Perhaps the other man's name in a suddenly concerned kind of way.

In his surprise, the stout man stopped aiming his gun at the larger man and instead started shaking both his arms in a frightened and confused manner. He was still holding the gun, and it wavered back and forth through the air, sometimes pointing up, sometimes pointing down, and passing the middle of an arch in between.

Tifa's foot landed in perfect formation after she completed her full turn and dealt the large man a devastating kick. She landed gracefully, as if in a choreographed dance, as the large man's head was nearing the floor. His left hip hit the wood first, then his elbow, then his shoulder. He was lifted off the ground by his own momentum for mere centimeters before landing once again. This time, his head hit the floor as well, but his eyes were already closed, unconscious before Tifa's foot had even fully passed the width of his shoulders. When unconsciousness hit, his fingers went limp and his firearm fell from them, following a similar course as the tooth. The gun finally landed next to the large man's head, wobbling on its grip for a second before settling just as Tifa's foot planted on the floor nearby.

It all happened so fast that Reno barely had time to step back to avoid being brought down with the large man as well. All he managed to do in the time Tifa took the man out was to twist slightly, his mag rod still positioned as though he were about to attack someone. Rude's eyes were trained on the stout man as this all occurred, assessing the situation to see if this man decided to put his gun down instead of attack after seeing what had just happened to his friend. Elena still held her gun to the stout man's head but shifted her eyes and then the rest of her face to look to the left and watch the big man collapse.

Tifa's next charted attack was to disarm the stout man. She really hadn't needed the Turks to interfere, but they had been enough of a distraction to be helpful, so she was certainly grateful.

There are moments in time that latch onto a person's memory to be relived over and over again. Moments one reimagines in the hopes they can figure out what they could have done differently to change the situation and then spend an even greater amount of time punishing themselves for not taking a different course of action in the first place. Sometimes only one person experiencing an event comes away with such a moment engraved into their psyche. It can be due to one's feelings about the other people involved or even one's own view of oneself and how they should act in certain situations.

Reno was about to have one of those moments, and though it would embarrass him to the end of his days, it was created for both of the reasons listed above.

The stout man now had his free hand on his forehead and was obviously in crisis over his friend on the floor. As he brandished his own weapon about subconsciously, haphazardly around the room, he accidentally squeezed the trigger. It didn't even register to him at first, as the bullet corkscrewed through the air in the blink of an eye, heading toward – and then into – its unintended target. The gun had been angled somewhat down when the shot was fired.

Elena's gun fired in return, sending bitter jealousy through Reno _and_ Rude's spines as they wished they had been the ones to take the man down.

Reno had remained where he had been all along but was pointing his EMR at the stout man when the gun went off. Rude was lunging forward to grab the man when Elena's gun went off, causing an explosion of blood to fly back toward the Turks and the patrons who were still crouched down and trying to escape along the wall and out the front door. The fight had been over once the guns had been pulled out. Elena's face and torso were covered in blood. Rude did not escape the splatter but was still reaching toward the man and not in a position to stop.

The focus of the other two Turks gave Reno the opportunity to witness what would become one of those "moments." He was a few feet back from the stout man when his gun fired. At the edge of his vision, Reno saw where the bullet traveled. Even as everything moved slowly around him, he did not see the bullet specifically, but he saw its consequences.

Tifa's abdomen, a little to the left of her belly button and beneath her kidney, dimpled suddenly. Blood spurted out instantly, as if it had been waiting for a chance to escape. After the initial release, blood seeped out of the wound as Tifa started to move backward toward the ground by the force of the impact. Her knees were beginning to buckle when her right hand reached across her belly to inspect what initially felt like she was stabbed – or possibly _electrocuted_. She was moving backward, and as her hand made contact with her wound, her other hand reached out as she stumbled into the barstools at the counter, desperately trying to brace herself on the bar counter. She was only able to keep herself righted for a second or two before her knees finally buckled and she started sliding down to the floor. Her backside finally reached the floor; a couple of the stools moved slightly but did not fall. Tifa leaned back against the base of the bar, her left hand still outstretched on top of a stool after it had slipped off the counter. She could now feel something slick on her fingers and started to look down. The liquid pooling on her leather skirt would appear to be simply water reflecting the black of her skirt had it not been for the lights above showing its dark red tinge.

All at once, things sped back up to normal. Rude and Reno practically raced each other to get to Tifa's form as she fell to the ground. The other patrons successfully evacuated. Rude had to jump over the stout man's body to get to Tifa at the same time as Reno, one on each side of her. Elena re-holstered her gun and walked over to crouch in front of the brunette on the floor, blood still dripping from her hair and face.

Reno was tugging at Tifa's right arm to get her to lift her hand so he could see where the bullet entered. Rude was waiting for her to move her hand at Reno's coaxing so that _he_ could inspect the wound. Elena put a hand on one of Tifa's legs, which were stretched out in front of her.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked reflexively.

Tifa actually didn't seem that concerned with what was happening.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied, not completely sure why she was surrounded by Turks at the moment.

"Let me see," Rude said.

"Lie down," Elena commanded.

Tifa hesitated a moment and looked at each of them before begrudgingly obliging. Now Reno simply lifted her arm so that she would move her hand as he sat cross-legged on the floor to allow Tifa to use his knee as a pillow. Rude had the better view of her wound.

"It… didn't come out," Rude said, with just the faintest hint of concern. To those who knew him, he was downright despondent in his tone.

"Guys, it's nothing," Tifa insisted. "I'm fine. I _have_ been shot before." Her speech had started to slur when she added: "Including by _you._ "

She kept her eyes locked on Reno's and lifted her right hand in an attempt to point at him. In her weakness, she misjudged the distance between her and his face and ended up poking him in the cheekbone, just barely missing jabbing a finger up his nose. He moved his head back awkwardly at her poke, squinting the eye nearest to her extended index finger, before her hand slowly fell along his skin, down his cheek to his jaw, then tracing a line down his neck, to his chest – causing him to shudder at the memory of being her adversary. Her strength finally gave out and her hand fell from his skin to rest on his other thigh, just above his knee.

His left eye twitched and he felt his heart flutter at her brief touch.

"Hey now, I never actually hit you like this," he countered, looking down at her head situated in his lap.

It was true, Reno may have shot _at_ her in Gongaga, but he made sure no bullets actually landed. She received some grazes, but never anything serious or near vital organs. Rude hadn't thought about it then, but Reno was a damn good shot, the fact that he never hit Tifa now made more sense in conjunction with all his other suspicions.

"I'm calling an ambulance," Elena suggested, looking over at Rude, who nodded. The blonde Turk pulled her PHS out of her pocket and flipped it open to call emergency services.

"No, come on," Tifa said, her focus on Elena. "Can't you just stitch me up like last time?"

Her head half turned, half fell under its own weight toward Reno as she pleaded. He couldn't help but smile at the notion that she would rather let him touch her now than go to the hospital. What difference a couple months and some flirting made.

"We could, but you may very well die," Rude said. "It'll be better if we just take you there now."

Tifa closed her eyes. This was not how she planned this day ending. She had woken up with the determination to move forward with her life and to move on from Cloud and Reno. Now Reno was sitting right next to her with a – was that a look of genuine concern? Nah.

And then she looked down at herself. Rude was pressing the wound to try to control the bleeding, so she couldn't really see it, just all the blood that had soaked her tank top and slicked over her skirt and down her leg. But she certainly now _felt_ it. She groaned. This was all just so inconvenient.

"Fine, let's get it over with," she said.

She tried to start lifting herself up off the floor, but the Turks wouldn't let her.

"Just stay still," Elena said, placing a hand on Tifa's shoulder. "The ambulance is on its way."

Tifa groaned again.

"Ack," she coughed. "I can get myself there."

"Yeah, okay tough guy," Reno teased. "You just chill here. You'll be back to kicking patrons and taking bullets in no time."

Breathing hurt. Tifa couldn't remember the last time she had been injured to that point. It wasn't like the bullet was anywhere near her heart or lungs, it's just that the skin around it stretched when she tried to breath. Her heart was beating kind of fast – for several reasons – and when she tried to concentrate on slowing it down, she ended up taking deeper breaths, which hurt the wound.

Aside from the pain, she was just plain embarrassed. She should have taken down the other man as soon as she finished with the larger man. She should have gotten out of the way of the gun. Now she was being treated like a child by the Turks. Because of this stupid, and, in her mind, non-life-threatening injury.

Before Reno was able to clearly tell what had happened, a thousand possibilities went through his head. When he first noticed Tifa was hit, he imagined her collapsing and never getting back up. He ran to her but kept himself from cradling her in his arms like someone in some tragic movie. She wasn't _that_ hurt – even if gunshot wounds hurt like a _motherfucker_ – so there really was no reason for him to get so worked up, or so he told himself.

Yeah, he wished he had stopped her from getting hurt, wished he had just electrocuted the big man instead of giving him a chance to give up. If he had, Tifa could have focused on the stout man and avoided injury. He wished he had taken the bullet for her.

Wait, _what_?

Why was he thinking about all these things? Okay, if she died, he wouldn't be able to fuck her, and that would be a _huge_ bummer for him, but that wasn't the only reason for his concern, was it?

Thankfully the ambulance arrived to take his attention – oh, and Tifa. She tried to keep the paramedics from putting her on a stretcher, insisting she just needed to "walk it off," but they insisted. She tried to tell them to just help her stand up and then she could sit on one of the benches in the ambulance. No dice. The paramedics also wouldn't patch her up and let her get herself to the hospital.

Finally, she relented and looked positively _bothered_ to be forced to ride in the ambulance on the stretcher. She tried to cross her arms to pout, but she couldn't even do that as the paramedics were tending to her wound.

"You'll come, right?" she asked in a hazy fog. "I… can't see the stars."

Her question didn't seem directed toward anyone in particular, as she wasn't looking at any single Turk when she said it. Elena wasn't even sure if Tifa had meant to say that.

"Sure, we'll see you soon," Elena said in a comforting voice.

Whether Tifa really wanted them there or not, Elena's motherly instincts had taken control. No, she didn't care for Tifa too much, but when she saw someone injured – and it wasn't someone she was killing – she instantly went into "care" mode.

The Turks watched the ambulance drive down the road and locked up the bar before heading back to Rude's home to get his car. He coincidentally – seriously! – lived the closest to Seventh Heaven.

The hospital in Edge was pretty nice, considering how young the city was. It had actually been one of the first structures built, for obvious reasons. Thousands were injured during Meteorfall, and Junon's temporary hospital couldn't accommodate everyone. Reeve directed aid crews to immediately start work on a building near the medical tents to serve as the hospital. Over the next few months, it was expanded and remodeled to upgrade the portion that was built hastily in the beginning.

The Turks sat in the emergency room waiting for news. None of them really wanted to be there. Not because of anything related to Tifa, but because it was _so_ damn boring and ordinary to be waiting. Plus, they weren't her family, so the medical staff wasn't that accommodating and wouldn't provide much information. After several hours, a doctor came out and addressed them.

"You're all here for Tifa Lockhart?" he asked. The Turks nodded. "And none of you are her family or spouse?" They shook their heads. "Well, there's not much I can tell you since you're not her emergency contact. Do any of you know how to locate Cloud Strife? The number she provided is no longer in service."

Reno clenched his teeth as his nostrils flared. That _bastard_. He was already an asshole for running out on Tifa, but now she was injured and _he_ was her emergency contact. Reno realized he was clenching his fists, imagining himself punching Strife in the face.

"We don't know where Cloud is," Elena said. The doctor looked unfazed.

"Are you friends of hers?" he asked.

"Yes…" Elena said, a little unsteadily.

"You won't be able to see her tonight, I'm afraid," the doctor said. "We just finished her initial surgery, but she's going to need at least one more to repair the damage to her organs. The bullet did some damage, but we were able to remove it."

The Turks' eyes widened in unison. It was rare that bullets were actually able to be removed. Reno and Rude each subconsciously raised a hand to cover a scar where a bullet was still lodged in their muscles – Reno, his right shoulder; Rude, his left leg.

"Will she be alright?" Rude asked in a compassionless tone that startled the doctor.

"We're hopeful, but we don't know at this point. If you could leave contact information with the front desk, we'll be sure to call you with updates." The Turks nodded and the doctor turned around to leave through a pair of double doors leading to the operating rooms.

Elena blew air out of her mouth in surprise. Reno laced his fingers behind his head and Rude crossed his arms over his chest, all three looking at the floor.

"Damn," Reno said.

Tifa had seemed so _annoyed_ by the injury, he didn't think she was in that much danger, even though he knew how critical gunshot wounds were – especially when they were near internal organs. But the fact that Tifa Lockhart could _die_ from a stupid bar fight? It was inconceivable.

"I... I can't believe it was that bad," Elena said.

"Yeah…" Reno added, scratching the back of his head. "Guess there's nothing more we can do here, huh?"

At that moment, he felt his PHS vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out to check.

"1 text message from Shotgun."

"Delivered! Let me know when you want to meet up again ;)" it said.

He closed his phone without responding. A few months ago, he would have smiled to himself and considered her offer. He wasn't above sleeping with a woman a second time, even if he hadn't done it, but it was pretty clear why she sent the text. No challenge, no thank you. But things were different now, though he wasn't entirely sure why.

"I guess not…" Elena said. She looked to Rude, who simply nodded.

"Excuse me, you were the three here for Tifa Lockhart, right?" a nurse beckoned from behind a counter nearby.

"Yes," Elena answered as the three took a couple steps toward the nurse's station.

"Does she have any other family in town we could contact?"

"She doesn't have any family," Elena said. _Because of Shinra_.

"Oh, hmm. Whose number should I put down?" the nurse asked.

Elena looked back at her coworkers. Reno turned to look at Rude as the bald man snapped his eyes back toward the redhead, each trying to figure out why the other was looking at them. Elena rolled her eyes and faced the nurse again.

"I'll give you _my_ number," she said before writing it down on the form handed to her by the nurse.

The first update didn't come until the following morning. The three were lounging at their desks lazily passing the time before going on patrol when Elena's phone rang. Tifa was out of her second surgery and a third didn't seem necessary at the time. She was awake and mildly irritated.

The doctor, oddly (to Elena) asked if she knew any of Tifa's medical history and informed the Turk that she could visit the bartender until 9 p.m.

"Wanna go now? Before patrol?" Elena asked her two male colleagues, already knowing the answer.

"Extend your patrol to include your trip to the hospital," Tseng ordered from his office.

When Reno looked over to the boss, he could see the raven-haired man hadn't even looked up from whatever he was working on.

It took some time to get properly directed to the Intensive Care Unit where Tifa was still being kept, but the Turks finally found the correct waiting area. Lefts and rights and sets of double doors all led them to a small, windowless area with about two dozen uncomfortable chairs and a decent view of the afternoon slowdown. Nurses and doctors occasionally walked past the area, avoiding eye contact, as they went about their days. It didn't seem like patients were being moved into or out of the unit, and even though the Turks were trained to listen to the murmurs of strangers to glean information, they heard nothing regarding Tifa. The guy in room 12 was probably a goner, though.

They must have waited more than an hour before someone in scrubs finally came to get them and lead them to Tifa's room. The room itself was on the large side, with a private bathroom and long window on one side. A long bench sat beneath the window for guests and there was a large glass wall facing Tifa's bed where doctors and nurses wrote extensive notes regarding her care, including medications and when she needed to receive them.

Reno was no stranger to hospitals, and approached the wall to study Tifa's immediate medical history. He had glanced at Tifa as he entered, but the sight of her with all the medical equipment keeping her alive drove a knife through his heart and triggered something he hadn't thought about in far too long. Though he didn't show it, he tensed up and turned to the wall to catch his breath and calm down, memories of the past suddenly too intense.

He'd lost far too many important people in his life, and nearly lost Tseng, to be able to handle seeing anyone else he cared about in a hospital like this.

He recognized some of the medical jargon that detailed her surgeries and the change in her vitals since the previous night. Elena and Rude each stood on one side of her bed, furrowing their brows at the number of machines hooked up to the bartender.

Tifa perked up when they entered, but her eyes lingered on Reno for a second too long, leading her expression to wan, her eyes shifting to look down.

"How are you feeling?" Elena spoke first.

Tifa had a mask that helped her breathe, but she was able to lift it to speak in short sentences.

"I. Want to. Go. Home," she said in short, exasperated breaths.

"Sorry, you're not out of the woods yet," Elena said, her tone soft. "I think you'll be stuck here a few more days."

"Aren't you Turks?" Tifa asked in one excruciating breath. "Can't you sneak me out?"

Rude crossed his arms and let out a little chuckle. Tifa looked up at him with pleading eyes. Was he the weakest link? Questionable. He liked her, but that might actually work against her as he might want to make absolute sure she was okay. Elena always struck Tifa as a by-the-book kind of woman, and probably wouldn't be open to flouting hospital recommendations.

And then there was Reno, who still had his back to her while studying the wall. He was definitely a rule breaker, but where had he been the past week? He might decline to help her just to be an ass. He was a loose cannon. He was her best chance.

"You need to stay here," Rude suggested. "You're barely alive as it is."

Tifa huffed.

"The bar," she said, though she knew it wouldn't be convincing.

"What about it? We locked it before we left," Elena replied.

Tifa was hoping they hadn't so she could make the argument about urgency.

"I don't. Want. To be in here," she pouted. One of the monitors indicated her respiratory rate had increased.

"Then you shouldn't have gotten shot, yo," Reno offered, turning with enough courage to stand at the foot of her bed. The words stung him as soon as they left his lips.

Tifa, Elena, and Rude all shot him a glare and his expression retreated.

Tifa didn't think she felt any pain – it was thanks to the morphine, but still. She wanted to go home. She didn't have time to be sitting in a hospital with such a wimpy wound – at least in her eyes.

Barret and Marlene were coming next week. She needed to clean up the bar. She needed to do any number of things that would be put off while waiting to get out of this place. She felt lonely home alone, she felt even lonelier here even though she would be surrounded by strangers.

"Is there anything _else_ you'd like us to do for you?" Elena asked.

Tifa shook her head.

"I'm tired" she said, defeated and losing awareness.

"Okay, we'll come back later, if you want," Elena offered.

"Sure."

"And if they take too long to release you, we'll kick their asses," Reno said confidently, jabbing his thumb into his chest.

Tifa smiled weakly. It quickly faded as she watched Rude and Elena leave. Elena lingered in the doorway and turned back just in time to catch Reno standing next to Tifa and removing two fingers from her forehead. The bartender's expression was unreadable as Elena tried to figure out what had just happened. Reno didn't say a word as he passed his colleague out the door.

The crushing loneliness set in once Tifa found herself alone in the sterile gray room in an unfamiliar place. She wanted to lay on her side and curl up like she did when she wanted to pretend to shut out the world, but moving made her side ache, even with the pain medication she was on. At least she was exhausted enough to fall asleep in the position she was currently lying.

* * *

Tifa was woken up by a nurse to have her bandages changed, unaware of how much time had passed since the Turks left. She was luckily in a private room, since she was wearing just panties under her hospital gown, which needed to be lifted for the nurse to gain access to the wound. Tifa found the whole ordeal profoundly uncomfortable. She was used to dressing her own wounds, or having Aerith, Jessie, or Yuffie do it. She didn't like letting strangers touch her. She still wished she had never let Reno stitch her up months ago. She never would have even entertained the thought of kissing him – and she wouldn't be having so many competing, not to mention _annoying_ , feelings trapped in her head.

She looked outside at the sunset as the nurse worked, not wanting to see how bad the wound still was so she could maintain some ignorance. Maybe she could convince the Turks to break her out.

"Can I go home now?" she asked the nurse, still needing the mask to breathe comfortably.

"You're gonna be here a few more days," the nurse said. "The bullet did quite a bit of damage."

The nurse finished dressing the wound and readjusting Tifa's gown. She was just leaving the room when the three Turks returned. Tifa didn't want to admit it, but she was really glad to see them.

"Feeling any better now?" Elena asked as she walked to the foot of Tifa's hospital bed.

"Much," Tifa lied, her breathing difficulty showing the Turks the truth.

"Have you seen it?" Reno asked.

"The wound? Just saw. Not serious," she said between staggered breaths.

"You were shot," Rude said. He didn't say it in an informative or snippy way, it was more like he really thought she wasn't taking this seriously. There was a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yes, and I'd like to go home now, please," it was the longest sentence Tifa had been able to put together since she was out of surgery. Reno snorted.

"She says from behind her breathing tube," the redhead added sarcastically.

The Turks stayed and chatted with Tifa a while longer, continuing to dismiss her requests to leave the hospital while still hooked up to so much machinery.

As they were leaving, Elena again turned to see Reno pulling his hand back from Tifa. He was further along in the act than the last time she caught him, but she knew that whatever he was doing would confirm all her suspicions. She made a mental note to turn back quicker next time.

_Saturday_

Reno arrived at the hospital as soon as visiting hours began, thinking his colleagues would never expect him to wake up so early. He was allowed back to Tifa's room just a few minutes later and was shocked to find an elderly woman already sitting beside the brunette's bed. He jumped back out of the doorway and pressed himself against the wall, hoping he hadn't been seen.

As he stood with his back to the outside wall, he tried to place that old woman. She looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place her. Did Tifa have a grandmother? No, she didn't have any living relatives that he could recall, but it had been a few years since he'd last checked her file at Shinra.

If he recalled correctly, Tifa was a ward of an elderly woman when she first came to the slums after the Nibelheim incident, and this could be that woman – but Reno could swear he had seen her more recently.

Before he could figure it out, the old woman left Tifa's room and passed him in the hall with a sly grin that appeared as she neared.

"You go on in, I'll come back later," she said quietly as she passed Reno. She didn't even look at him as she spoke.

Reno took the opportunity to slip into the room, now noticing that Tifa was no longer wearing the mask to help her breathe. She looked better than she had the past couple days, but she was still pale and weak. Her hair was oily and her eyes were sunken and dull, though they flickered with something as he strolled across the room to take the chair vacated by Marle.

"You're here early," Tifa pointed out.

"Yeah, well, the bar we had to go to in your absence doesn't have the right scotch," Reno said without faltering.

"You here to break me out?"

"I would if I thought you could handle it, Lockhart."

Tifa said nothing and an awkward silence fell over the room. Apparently, Reno was not the one who could get her out of here.

Reno fidgeted in his seat uncomfortably, thinking of something to say. Why had he even come here? He should have just waited until Rude and Elena suggested a visit instead of coming on his own. He hated hospitals, he hated seeing people in hospitals, but the thought of never being alone with Tifa again had been scratching at the deepest recesses of his mind.

"No more mask?" he asked after several moments had passed. Tifa instinctively reached up to touch her face where the breathing apparatus had been.

"They removed it this morning. I think it was holding me back, honestly."

"Oh yeah, you know how doctors are, always trying to hold you back from getting better," Reno teased, the corners of his lip twitching upward. Tifa gave him a knowing glance with a warm half-smile.

"They said I still have to stay here a few more days, but I'm feeling much better," Tifa said after another pause.

"Tell ya what, if you can hop outta bed without any pain and without tearing anything, I'll take you out of here right now," Reno offered.

Tifa considered attempting his offer on a prayer but knew she would fail.

"You don't even have to hop; you can just get up normally."

Tifa continued to stare blankly at him.

"Can you even sit up without pain?"

Tifa shifted slightly and moved to sit up, but pain shot through her abdomen as soon as she made the attempt. She fell back onto her pillow, wincing.

"Shit, Lockhart, that wasn't a challenge. Pull anything?"

"No, it just hurts."

"Looks like you're stuck here, then."

Another silence. Tifa sighed before a smirk spread across her lips.

"You didn't just come here to get me to tear my stitches, did you?" she asked, tilting her head on the pillow in his direction.

"So, what if I did?" he retorted with a smug grin. "Who was that woman in here before?"

"You mean you don't remember?" Reno shook his head. "You gave her a child a couple years ago."

"I… what?" the redhead asked, his voice tinged with fear.

"Yeah, during Meteorfall," Tifa said, snickering at the discovery of what would actually make Reno nervous.

"But I didn't sl—" it finally hit him; where he had seen that woman. He had given her the small child he had found during the calamity. "Oh."

"After you did that, she started finding more children and opened an orphanage," Tifa explained. "She's actually rather grateful for what you did, since it gave her a new purpose."

"To be honest," Reno said, looking away from Tifa and scratching the back of his head, "I was just lookin' to pawn the kid off on someone."

"Oh, she's well aware of that, but it worked out anyway," Tifa informed him with a warm smile. "So, back to the reason why you came here so early on a Saturday by yourself…"

Damn, his subject change hadn't worked on her, she was too smart for his tricks. The truth was he hadn't come up with an explanation for why he set an absurdly loud alarm to force him out of bed at the crack of dawn to get to the hospital without Rude or Elena finding out.

"I don't really know, guess I just know what it's like to be stuck inna hospital away from everyone you know," he said, scratching his head again.

"It's really boring. There's nothing to do."

"Can I getcha anything?"

"Seriously?"

"Sure. I recommend puzzles. I used to do crosswords and sudoku when I was laid up with no possible escape," Reno said, proudly.

" _You_ did crossword puzzles?"

"Your low opinion of me never ceases to amaze, Lockhart."

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that," she said. "It's just… I've always been really bad at crossword puzzles, so I'm always impressed when someone says they can do them."

"Just need some practice," Reno responded while tapping the side of his head with an index finger. "I'll pick you up a book since you'll have time. Anything else?"

Tifa wanted to ask for a hot shower, but knowing Reno, she decided against it.

"Well… some books would be nice."

"Any particular kind?" Reno suddenly looked shocked. "Don't tell me you like trashy romance novels, Lockhart?"

"They're not trashy!" she insisted before covering her mouth and blushing.

"Big mistake, Lockhart," Reno said smugly. "You're getting a big stack of the filthiest, nastiest girlie novels Gaia has to offer."

Tifa returned his smug look. "You realize you'd have to buy these supposedly dirty novels, right?"

Reno dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "No problem, I'll just balance them out with some nudey mags. Really throw the clerk for a loop."

Tifa started to laugh but immediately winced and clutched her injury.

"You sure you didn't come here to rip my stitches?" she asked.

Reno opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by his PHS ringing. He held up an index finger toward Tifa and checked his caller ID.

"It's Elena, give me a sec," he told her before bringing the phone to his ear. "Yeah?" he said, pretending to sound as if he had just woken up. "Now? I guess… I'll meet you there." He snapped his PHS closed and looked back toward Tifa, who had regained her composure from the pain in her side. "She asked if I wanted to come with her and Rude to see you," Reno told her. "I gotta duck out so they don't know I was already here."

"Why didn't you just wait to come with them?" Tifa asked, her face contorted into a confused expression.

"Keep asking myself the same question," he answered, scratching the back of his head.

He looked at her a moment, debating whether to continue with his traditional hospital goodbye but decided he had embarrassed himself enough for one day and turned to stroll out of the room with a lazy salute instead. "See ya in a few," he said before disappearing out of the room completely.

About 45 minutes later, the redhead returned, trudging behind Rude and Elena and seemingly more tired than he had been when he was alone with Tifa.

"The mask is gone! You must be feeling better," Elena asked once she saw the bedridden young woman.

"I am, but they still won't let me leave," Tifa sulked, attempting to cross her arms over her chest but flinching when even that slight movement caused her some pain.

"They'll let you out when you're capable," Rude said flatly.

The visit continued as the previous ones had. When it was time to leave, Elena turned quickly in an attempt to catch whatever it was Reno was doing when he thought no one else was looking, but instead of seeing him standing beside Tifa, she crashed right into his sturdy chest.

"Forget something?" Reno asked in a mocking tone. Elena's cheeks flushed and she turned back around to quickly leave the room, huffing out a "no," as she did so.

True to his word, unfortunately, Reno did return the next day unaccompanied but with a stack of maybe seven romance novels, which he left at the nurse's station with an embarrassingly loud announcement that Tifa could hear from her room. She closed her eyes tight and waited to scold him for his transgression, but he didn't enter her room.

A few minutes later a very confused-looking nurse carried the books into Tifa's room and set them on the bedside table.

"Did you order a bunch of 'dirty' novels?" the nurse asked, quoting one of Reno's less colorful descriptions.

Tifa turned red and rolled her eyes as the nurse removed herself from the pile of books. The stack fell as she placed it on the flat surface and she bent down to pick up those that landed on the floor. She replaced them to the table and gave Tifa some kind of look – somewhere between embarrassment and sympathy – before leaving the room to check on other patients.

The martial artist rotated her head to look at the pile and noticed a thinner book within the stack. She reached for it, carefully tugging it free and bringing it to her. It was a book of crossword puzzles. She smiled and placed it back on the table, making a mental note to ask for a pencil when the nurse came back.

It wasn't until later that day that Elena finally caught Reno in the act. The three Turks had again visited Tifa in the afternoon, and Elena had again turned to watch Reno as they were leaving. This time, instead of bumping into him, she caught him standing at Tifa's side looking down at into her eyes as she became weary. He brought his index and middle fingers to his lips, kissed them, and pressed them to her forehead.

Elena quickly left the room before giving Reno a chance to find out he had been caught.

The rest of the week dragged on as Tifa imagined it would. She felt better each day but still slept a lot, mostly to pass the time. She managed to make progress on several of the crossword puzzles that Reno had left her but couldn't shake the habit of checking her answers in the back as she went along. She soon gave up and relegated herself to reading the novels the Turk had brought. They were indeed filthy, far too raunchy for her taste, but it was either that or continue to frustrate herself over the crosswords, so she chose the former.

The Turks visited every day – well, most of them did. Sometimes Elena wasn't there in the evenings. Rude would say she had a prior engagement and Reno would make some crude comment about where Elena might be – and whom she might be with. Even Tseng visited once, to Tifa's surprise; a further show of bygones and appeasement.

"Rufus sends his regards," Tseng had said, leaving the barmaid wide-eyed and wondering if her hearing had become damaged.

Finally, the day came for Tifa to be released – just one day before Barret and Marlene were set to arrive. Marle tried to be the one to help get Tifa home, but the bartender insisted the children were more important, which left the Turks to accompany her home. Marle had taken care of Tifa before – for years – and she didn't want to feel like an injured 15-year-old again. Not that the Turks were her first or second choice, but her options were limited and Elena was persistent, claiming she wanted to make amends for failing to keep Tifa from getting shot.

The three Turks were currently sitting in the waiting room of the hospital wing where Tifa had been moved out of the ICU. Reno was leaning back deeply into the small arm chair, his legs stretched far out into the central walkway of the area and his shoulders nearly touching the seat cushion. Someone at the hospital had told Elena that Tifa was ready to be discharged, but they had already been waiting an hour at this point. Rude sat with his arms folded across his chest and his head tilted down in quiet contemplation. Elena was playing on her phone.

"You can come back now," a nurse said as he approached the three Turks and motioned for them to follow him back to Tifa's room. The glass board in this room had already been wiped clean, as if the whole ordeal had never happened, something for which the brunette was thankful. All of her IVs and monitors had been detached and she was sitting on the edge of the bed fully dressed in an outfit Marle had brought from Seventh Heaven, her legs dangling just an inch or so off the floor. Finding her something to wear out of the hospital was not a task she wanted to leave up to the Turks, even Elena, as she knew the blonde wouldn't be able to keep Reno out of her home.

A doctor was standing next to her with a chart and some paperwork for her to sign.

"I just want to go over that list of instructions to care for your wound one more time so that they are aware in case you need help."

He then rattled off a list of what she needed to do. No strenuous exercise (Tifa swore she heard Reno snort). Change bandages regularly. Etc., etc. Tifa knew the drill. She nodded along politely, antsy to leave.

"Okay, that's it, good luck," the doctor said before getting up and leaving.

Tifa was a little stiff as she set her feet firmly on the ground. Reno was reminded of how Tseng looked when he and Rude evacuated him from the hospital during Meteorfall. Just as they did then, the two male Turks stood on either side of Tifa to help her balance as she stumbled.

"I can do this," she insisted, trying to remove herself from the two Turks.

Reno and Rude looked at each other and shrugged. It wasn't like they were afraid the hospital would collapse as they had been with Tseng, and they weren't itching to get back to their patrol either. They let Tifa hobble on her own, reaching out anytime she staggered and looked as though she might fall.

Rude helped her into the backseat of Elena's car. Reno took the front passenger's seat. There wasn't anything he could do publicly to continue his plan to cozy up to her, so he opted for looking disinterested. He watched in the rear-view mirror as Tifa leaned against Rude in the back seat. He felt just the slightest heat in his chest when she again leaned on Rude as she walked from the car and into her bar.

He ran up the stairs ahead of Rude and offered cliched words of encouragement to her, moving his hands to motion her forward, like she was a child taking her first steps. Tifa did not appreciate it.

The effort had made her tired along with the restless nights spent in the hospital and the whole ordeal in general, so the Turks helped her into her bedroom.

Reno looked around as he assisted her. It was the first time he was seeing her home in the daylight, but he couldn't exactly enjoy it (he'd prefer to be ravishing her instead of studying her furniture). He was in her territory, nonetheless.

Reno was behind Tifa and Rude in the hallway when he heard Tifa gasp.

"What?" she said in hushed surprise.

Reno smiled to himself, knowing she had just seen the vase with beautiful white flowers sitting on her nightstand. When Shotgun texted him the night Tifa was shot that she had delivered the flowers, Reno had to make a decision: Either let the flowers rot wherever Shotgun stashed them or break into Tifa's house and put them in water. He chose the latter, opting to spend as little time inside the home as possible. He wanted to be called upstairs by Tifa, but not like this.

The gift both delighted and frightened her. Someone had clearly broken into her home to leave the flowers, something she just now considered.

Elena was on the same page and readied her gun. She then inspected the other rooms in the hall in case the intruder was still inside. There was no one. No windows opened and nothing else disturbed.

Reno let a self-satisfied grin cross his features.

Rude helped Tifa sit on her bed. She kept her eyes on the flowers the entire time, studying the shape and size of the petals. They were rare flowers that could only be found around Mt. Nibel. They were her absolute favorite.

No card or tag. Nothing to indicate who they were from.

Her heart skipped a beat. Cloud definitely knew these were her favorite flowers. Her hope faded as she quickly realized surprises like this weren't Cloud's style. He would have been there to deliver the flowers, or he would have left evidence of his visit. He was an excellent fighter, but stealth wasn't his forte.

Stealth.

Tifa took a sniff of the flowers and glanced over at Reno. He looked exactly as he did that night outside her bar in the rain, when he wasn't reacting to her quip about him waiting in the rain for her. He was _really_ good at acting like he didn't care. But Tifa now knew that was his reflex response when faced with anything that could be emotional.

It had to be him, but how did he know? And how did he get them? She hadn't told him she liked these flowers – but he did know she was from Nibelheim. But so did a lot of other people!

She was too tired for this right now. She slowly scooted back on her bed up toward her headboard so she could lie down properly.

She wasn't even able to say goodbye to the Turks before she passed out.

Barret and Marlene would be here tomorrow.

Elena did her own inspection of the flowers to look for a note or anything to explain how they got into Tifa's room. Seeing no evidence pointing to a culprit, she encouraged Reno and Rude to leave with her.

Rude had this sinking suspicion now. He didn't see Cloud as the "anonymous flowers" type of guy, and he could only think of one other person who would be so underhanded. He didn't want to confront Reno, as it was clear his best friend couldn't have physically delivered the flowers himself. Well, he may have, but that would require him to take one of the Shinra helicopters late at night, make the trip, pick the flowers, and be home by morning. Something told him Reno couldn't have done this. The man loved to sleep and hadn't missed work – he was always late, but no later than usual. It just didn't make sense.

Yet still, Rude strongly suspected Reno had something to do with it – and he didn't like it.


	19. Reno Takes A Leap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Did you give Tifa those flowers?" - Marlene Wallace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue taken from Final Fantasy VII: Remake.

It wasn't a knock that woke Tifa up after she had fallen asleep when the Turks brought her home. It was more like a _pounding_ on the door to her bar, loud enough for her to hear upstairs, that did the trick. At first, she thought a monster may have been ramming the front door, but it was too rhythmic for that to be the case.

Tifa realized there was only one possibility: Barret Wallace. He was the only one whose hand could knock on a door and make it sound like he was trying to break it down even though he wasn't. The "knock" did not seem angry or irritated, rather, it sounded like his normal knock. He really didn't know his own strength sometimes.

There was no light coming through Tifa's bedroom windows; she must have slept straight through the night and most of the day. She looked down and realized she was still wearing what she had worn home from the hospital. She clutched her side as the pain reminded her of what had happened.

She let her head roll to the left on her pillow and saw a vase with beautiful white flowers in it on the nightstand. Oh, that's right, there had been flowers waiting for her when she returned home from the hospital, and she strongly suspected Reno was behind them.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Actually, the Turks had been her saviors the previous week, loathe as she was to admit that. They had rushed to her aid when the men were in a standoff and then ensured she was taken to a hospital even after she protested. And yesterday they picked her up and brought her home. How things had changed…

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Alright! Tifa tried to get up but recoiled immediately, the gunshot wound still an ever-present reminder that she had let her guard down for one second too long. There was no way she could hurry to the door to let in Barret and Marlene. She reached for her PHS on the nightstand – careful not to stretch her stitches – which sat beneath the flowers and sent a text to Barret: "Be down in a few."

She eased herself up and slowly swung her legs over the side of her bed. Every movement hurt the wound in her abdomen. At least the Turks removed her shoes for her. Everything else seemed to be in proper position – Reno must have behaved himself around his comrades.

Actually, it was Elena who had surprised Tifa the most. The blonde-haired woman had never seemed that fond of the brunette bartender, so it was shocking at how concerned she seemed when Tifa was shot. Tifa figured she and Elena were more alike than she previously considered. Elena was the only girl in the group of Turks _Tifa_ knew, and must have to play mother quite often, given Reno's antics (the annoying little brother of the group) and Rude's indifference (some kind of stoic uncle). Tifa didn't know Tseng all that well, but he seemed to be more like Rude than the other two (the reluctant and stern father figure). That would leave Elena to be the mother of the group.

Tifa knew the blonde liked Tseng – _everyone_ knew that – and Tifa could now see the similarities between Cloud and the leader of the Turks. Both quiet and contemplative in a way that suggested deep down they could be really quite playful. Tifa found herself hoping Elena would eventually be able to confess her feelings to Tseng and that they would end up together – more for her own dreams of being with Cloud than for any real connection with Elena.

Standing up was incredibly painful. Tifa nearly fell forward from the pain that shot through her abdomen and splintered out to the rest of her torso. She didn't remember it hurting this much last night, but maybe the adrenaline and her steadfast desire to get out of the hospital had helped. Or maybe it was because she suspected Reno was the one who brought her the flowers…

There she goes again, seamlessly switching her thoughts from Cloud to Reno as if they held the same special place in her heart.

She managed to stabilize herself and start walking toward her bedroom door. She placed a hand on the door frame to support herself as she mentally prepared for the trip down the stairs. Now that she was facing it alone, she really missed the Turks. Reno's taunting her like a child or a puppy may have been vexing at the time, but now she missed his attempts to lighten the mood as Rude physically helped her. She put a hand on the rail and took a deep breath.

"Ow…!" she yelped, again clutching her wound. Okay, no more deep breaths for confidence.

She took her first step down the stairs. Pain. She took another. Pain. But she had to keep going. She couldn't ignore Barret and Marlene and it would hurt just as much to turn back now. She sucked it up and continued down the stairs, leaning on the wall at the bottom to catch her breath.

She made her way to the door and unlocked the various bolts before opening it to see her old friend and his daughter standing in front of her. It felt really good to see them again.

"How ya been?" Barret asked excitedly. He had missed his friend, too.

"Tee-faah!" Marlene said in her sing-song voice.

The young girl rushed forward to hug Tifa. She seemed to have been prepared to do that and merely waited to recognize the abstract form of Tifa before lunging forward, because she didn't seem to notice Tifa's bandages. The little girl was now tall enough for her head to rest at Tifa's stomach during a hug, meaning she would be hitting the stitches head on.

It was definitely something Marlene hadn't expected. She had known Tifa for years, and they hugged often. Tonight something was different. When Marlene hugged her "aunt," Tifa moved away from her once her arms were around the older woman's legs. Tifa flinched, moving her hips away from Marlene as the little girl's head hit her wound. The pain caused her to lurch slightly forward, and Marlene could feel the slight brush of Tifa's chest moving her hair in the wrong direction.

Marlene pulled back to see what she had done wrong. That's when she – and Barret – noticed Tifa's bandages.

"What the hell happened?" Barret asked. Marlene just said with fear and concern in her voice: "Tifa!"

The older brunette looked like she could barely stand. She was pale and clearly in pain. Barret now felt guilty for knocking so loud and understood why it had taken Tifa a few minutes to get to the front door.

"Just some rowdy patrons," Tifa explained, trying to make it seem like she just had a scratch. She didn't want Marlene to be scared.

Barret didn't believe her.

"You need to be resting!" he said in a gruff voice.

Before Tifa could protest, Barret scooped her up in his strong arms and was carrying her back to her room. The martial artist suddenly felt so small, like her whole body fit in the palms of Barret's hands – well, if he had two hands. He held Tifa's head in his good hand and held his prosthetic arm under her knees. He tried to move as quickly but gently as possible, especially up the stairs.

Tifa realized he was moving differently to try and accommodate her injury, but being carried up the stairs was only marginally less painful than walking them herself. She bounced in Barret's arms. Only she was able to traverse the stairs fluidly, as if she were gliding down them on a smooth track.

Barret tenderly placed Tifa back on her bed. Tifa thanked the stars at that moment that her side of the bed was nearest the door so she wouldn't have to bring up Cloud and her compulsive desire not to lie on _his_ side of the bed.

Marlene came in immediately after Barret, having grabbed a washcloth and drenching it with cool water to place on Tifa's forehead. The bartender hated having to be taken care of. She much preferred to be the one doing the caring.

"When did this happen?" Barret asked.

"Last wee—" Tifa couldn't even get the second word out before she had to completely stop moving and shut her eyes for fear that she would throw up.

Now that she was in her room with the lights turned on, Barret realized she was downright sickly looking. Her skin was not just pale – it was green.

"When was the last time you _ate_?" Barret asked, though he already had an idea what the answer would be.

Tifa remained on her back with her head on the pillow and her eyes closed, but made some kind of circle with her hand in an attempt to mime "yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Barret asked in shock, though he was not all that surprised.

Tifa was just happy her gesturing skills were understood.

"Shiiit," Barret said. He then looked at his daughter. "Marlene, you stay here with Tifa, I'mma go make her some food."

Barret left the room to see what ingredients were available in Tifa's kitchen. Breakfast was his specialty, since it was Marlene's favorite. That little girl loved eggs and pancakes so much she wanted them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Barret had to start getting creative to get the little girl to eat more vegetables, so he started baiting her with omelets. It seemed to be working, as he could now get Marlene to eat vegetables with her eggs. Bacon was a must, but Barret also learned how to cook sausage links and patties to give Marlene a little variety.

Tifa's refrigerator was surprisingly empty, Barret thought, for two people – one of whom was a brilliant cook. Tifa had no eggs, but she did have a bag of frozen cokatolis breasts.

He pan-seared one on the stove, adding in olive oil and some herbs he gathered from a special shelf Tifa had near the window. It wasn't a four-star meal, but it was quick and easy and full of protein.

He cut it into small pieces and brought the plate and fork to Tifa.

"Who brought you these flowers?" Marlene asked. "They're beautiful!"

"I don't know, actually," Tifa said. "There was no note."

Tifa wasn't _really_ sure it was Reno who brought the flowers, and she didn't want to speculate too much so she wouldn't get her hopes up about them being from Cloud or Reno. Having high hopes had led to disaster one too many times in her life.

"They're not from Cloud?" Marlene asked as Barret walked into the room with a plate.

Tifa visibly winced. Barret caught the nuance, but Marlene assumed it was due to physical pain.

"I'm not sure, sweetie," Tifa said, trying to keep her voice positive. "I haven't seen Cloud in a while."

This was the conversation she dreaded – and now it was happening as soon as she let them in. _And_ she was injured. Just an all around bad moment.

"What kind are they?" Marlene asked.

Thank god for a child's short attention span.

"They're Nibelweiss flowers," Tifa said. "They bloom on the trails of Mt. Nibel. They're my favorite, because they remind me of Nibelheim."

"They're pretty," Marlene said again, leaning forward to smell the blooms.

Barret offered Tifa the plate. She was in that stage where she knew she _needed_ to eat, but the thought of food made her want to vomit. She knew that meant she _had_ to eat, so she propped herself up against her headboard and picked at the meat on the plate. She took a few bites. Within minutes, she felt much better.

"Marlene, could you go get Tifa a potion?" Barret asked.

Marlene nodded her head eagerly and ran from the room. Such a helpful little girl.

"So, what happened?" Barret asked Tifa.

"I got shot," Tifa responded with a tinge of guilt.

"What!?"

"A couple patrons were fighting and pulled guns, I knocked one of them out but the other freaked out and accidentally pulled the trigger," Tifa said, trying to explain the situation in a way that made it all seem harmless, as if that were possible.

"Where are the bastards?"

"The one who shot me is dead," Tifa looked down at her plate. She hadn't wanted the man to die, as it seemed pretty obvious to her that he hadn't intended to pull the trigger. "The Turks showed up just after the guns were pulled."

"The TURKS?"

"They've actually been helping out a lot around here. The monsters have gotten so bad in the city, and they're usually around to help me fight them."

Barret couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Turks? _Helping_? There must be some angle to it. The people who dropped the plate on Sector 7 and harassed them continuously as they tried to _save the planet_ couldn't be helping Tifa just to be nice. They were no better than the monsters that terrorized the city, in his mind.

"Barret?"

"What?"

"They really do seem different now. Reno even apologized for Sector 7 and said it's his biggest regret in life."

"Reno? You on a first-name basis with them now?"

"Barret…"

"You're too damn forgiving, Tifa," Barret lectured. "There are some people who don't deserve forgiveness. And anyone associated with Shinra is right at the top of the list in my book."

"Everyone deserves forgiveness, Barret," Tifa said, her voice sullen.

She didn't want to argue with Barret – she knew he had a point. She wasn't really trying to get him to forgive the Turks, she just wanted him to be okay with them – well, okay with her getting close to them, to Reno specifically. She didn't want one of Barret's lectures or his disappointment if something _did_ happen between her and Reno.

Not that she was actually considering that, of course.

"Remember the reactors we blew up? People died, but we deserve forgiveness, right?" Tifa asked, her voice soft and dripping with sadness.

Barret lowered his head and shook it from side to side.

"We were trying to save the planet," he said, more to convince himself than her. "No one but Shinra scum was supposed to get hurt."

"But they did!" Tifa said, more forcefully. Her stitches hurt and she flinched.

"Why you so hung up on this?"

Marlene returned with the potion and a glass of water for the aftertaste. Tifa took the medicine and a gulp of water before placing the glass near the flowers.

"I don't know what you been up to," Barret said, shaking his head again. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Barret…"

"I know, I know, I trust you," he relented. He then picked Marlene up and put her on his lap. "We should probably let Aunt Tifa rest, and we've had a long day, too."

"The guest room is ready for you."

"Can I sleep in here with Auntie Tifa?" Marlene asked, looking up at her father, who then looked at Tifa.

"Of course you can, sweetheart," she said, a warm smile spreading across her lips.

"Just be careful with her stitches," Barret warned.

"I'll be careful!" Marlene promised.

The little girl had grown up in a world where she was forced to mature rather quickly. Back in Sector 7 she had helped Tifa tend to the wounds of the other AVALANCHE members, so she was already quite prepared to help Tifa change the bandages around her waist.

The bartender was grateful for the help, since twisting was too painful for her at the moment, and she was exhausted again just from the little trip downstairs and her interactions with Barret.

She knew that allowing Marlene to share her bed meant the little girl would be sleeping on Cloud's side, but she didn't see the harm. If _she_ slept on Cloud's side it meant he was really gone, but if Marlene slept there then it was like Cloud just gave up his side for the night. At least that's the logic on which Tifa decided.

She turned off the light and settled into bed, knowing she wouldn't be awake for long.

"Cloud grew up in Nibelheim, too, right?" Marlene asked.

"Mmhmm."

"So maybe the flowers really are from him."

"I hope so," Tifa said to humor the child.

_Later…_

Tifa was in the early stages of sleep when she felt a hand on her arm. She knew she must be dreaming, because the hand was too large to be Marlene's and too small to be Barrett's. In this world, anyone could be behind her; if she thought hard enough, it could be Cloud. If she turned over, the illusion could be shattered and she could learn that it was someone else, like Wymer, or Rufus Shinra, or even some random person she barely knew.

Calloused, cool fingers danced along her forearm to her shoulder before dipping down to slide along the curve of her neck. She feared the icy chill of death. Maybe it was her father, or Biggs, or Wedge. Or maybe the Lifestream was trying to tell her something…

Whoever it was gingerly brushed her hair off her neck and tucked a lock behind her ear. She heard the shuffling of clothing behind her as the person knelt down next to her side of the bed to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I just wanted to come check on you, yo," a voice whispered in her ear.

All at once Tifa realized this was no dream. And that was _not_ Cloud. Without regard for her injury, she flipped over, horrified to discover Reno had snuck into her house and now hovered over her bed. She cried out – in pain and in surprise – waking Marlene, who also screamed.

Tifa had twisted so quickly that Reno was startled backward onto his ass. Thankfully, his head didn't hit the nightstand on the way down, or else he would have found himself sprawled on the floor next to Tifa Lockhart's bed – wet and covered with damaged flowers. Not the _worst_ way he had ever been discovered in someone else's home, but certainly not a way he would like.

"Tifa?" Marlene's tired little voice spoke up when she settled down.

 _Oh, shit there's a kid in here,_ Reno thought to himself, suddenly becoming _very_ embarrassed.

Without another thought he shimmied under the bed to wait for an escape. Well, _now_ this situation felt very familiar.

Tifa flipped the light on to make sure she wasn't crazy – Reno really _had_ broken into her house and kissed her forehead as she slept. She didn't see him on the floor, but the flower vase had just finished wobbling. _That bastard_.

Barret opened the door and came charging into the room.

"You alright? I heard screaming," he said.

"Yeah, I just turned in my sleep and hurt my side," Tifa said.

She pulled the blanket down and lifted her camisole to see if the stitches had ripped. Her side definitely hurt, but she didn't appear to be bleeding. She remembered what the doctor had told her: Potions to ease regular pain, Cure spells for severe pain, and return to the hospital if the stitches rip.

"Marlene?"

"I was just worried about Tifa," the little girl said.

 _Thank god she didn't notice him,_ Tifa said a silent prayer of thanks.

Barret nodded to the two girls and left, closing the door behind him. Tifa picked up her water glass and looked at Marlene.

"Marlene, could I trouble you to get me some fresh water?" she asked sweetly.

Marlene agreed and ran out of the room.

Tifa felt the bed shake underneath her and sat up as Reno scooted out from underneath.

"Thanks for gettin' rid of the kid, babe," he said, standing up and dusting himself off.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Tifa hissed. She was whispering, but Reno could tell she would be yelling if she could.

"I came to make sure you were okay," he said, shrugging.

"You couldn't just use a phone?" she tried to ask, but the pain in her side was too great and she doubled over, hugging her arms around her stomach.

"Shit, hold on," Reno said, quickly reaching a hand out to her shoulder.

Tifa flinched, but couldn't retreat as Reno reached for the mag rod clipped to his belt. Within seconds she was surrounded by green light and felt the pain subsiding, replaced by a cooling effect. The hum of the magic dissipated, yet Reno kept his hand on her shoulder, bending at the waist to meet her at her level.

"I did text, but you didn't answer so I..." his voice trailed off. Tifa caught on quickly.

"You were worried about me?" she whispered even quieter than before, slowly standing back up to full height.

"No! It's just…" Reno paused for a second to come up with a better explanation. "I woulda gotten a lot of shit at work if I had let a member of AVALANCHE die…"

Tifa looked like she was about to answer but heard footsteps down the hall and quickly started pushing Reno toward the window. "You have to get out of here, Marlene will be back any second," she insisted.

"Feel better, yo." He said before kissing her forehead and vanishing silently from the room.

Marlene came back in with a fresh glass of water and handed it to Tifa.

"Thank you, sweetie," she said.

She took a large sip and set it down next to the flowers.

"Did you have to cast Cure on yourself?" Marlene inquired as the two settled back into bed. Tifa nodded.

"Mmhmm, I really twisted my stitched."

"Isn't your materia downstairs?"

That smart little girl never missed a thing.

"I brought it up here earlier, just in case," Tifa lied. Marlene didn't buy it, but also didn't press further. She had a feeling Tifa wasn't telling the truth but had no idea why.

After settling back into bed, Tifa checked her PHS. Two missed texts and even a missed call from Reno. They had come in while she was struggling to the door to meet Barret. He really had tried to reach her the normal way before resorting to Turk instinct.

Both girls fell asleep easily, though Tifa was fearful she might have another "dream" again involving Reno.

* * *

Reno cursed his luck. He was so close to her bed, but of course that kid and her big oaf father would be visiting. And next week he had to fly Rufus to Junon. The last time he avoided her, she got shot, and he wasn't about to let that happen again. But now he couldn't just hang around and flirt with her while Barret and his daughter were around. He'd have to find another way.

He had no idea what he was doing. He could flirt just fine and he knew how to quickly seduce an easy woman, but Tifa was different. Whatever suaveness he usually possessed had flown right out the window with this woman. Now whenever he tried to be not an asshole he ended up using his Turk training and screwing everything up. Is this how normal guys felt?

He thought back to how she reacted after he kissed her forehead. He thought she knew it was him. Who else would it be?

Oh, right… Strife.

At least tomorrow was Saturday. He could spend the day scheming and finding an opportunity to be near her. Maybe he could just walk right up to her. That big man might instigate a fight and cause her to step in to stop it, proving she had warmed up to the Turks. Who knows, maybe he and the human firearm would become pals.

He laughed to himself.

* * *

Oh, sweet Elena. Sweet, sweet, sympathetic Elena.

Reno suddenly found her overly caring saccharine side endearing – but only in this moment because it was advantageous to him.

He had slept in later than usual due to his twilight excursion into Tifa's bedroom – the third time he had been in there and still he was not having sex with her; something that needed to be rectified at some point – and was awoken by a nagging ring. When Elena wanted someone's attention, she would _not_ stop until she got it.

He considered throwing the phone against the wall to the grave site of his alarm clock, but that would necessitate the purchase of a new phone _and_ a new alarm clock, and he wasn't making two stops today.

He let out an exaggerated, immature groan and picked up the phone.

"Yo," he said before getting an earful from Elena about why it took him so long to answer. "It's Saturday," was his response.

From there the conversation actually became interesting. Elena asked Reno if he wanted to go see how Tifa was doing and to see if she needed any help since she was all alone. Reno wasn't about to tell her that the oaf and the kid were with her – he couldn't let Elena know that he knew that, since the Turks had spent all day Friday together and parted ways from a different bar early in the morning since Seventh Heaven was closed when they finished patrol.

But Reno being Reno, he couldn't let Elena know he was even the least bit interested in visiting their favorite bartender.

"Meh," he said, as coolly as possible. "Got nothin' better to do I guess."

_Nailed it._

Elena hung up after Reno agreed to meet her at Seventh Heaven in an hour.

"He thinks he's so smooth," she said out loud to herself in a smug tone.

Reno was trying to play this cool, but Elena saw right through it. He hadn't been himself the past two weeks and his excuses didn't add up. Elena suspected Rude was starting to get wise as well. After they found the flowers in Tifa's room, Rude kept glancing over at Reno as if silently daring him to admit to what he had done.

She didn't know _how_ he got the flowers, but she knew it was him. She actually thought it was really sweet. It was so unlike Reno. Elena had _never_ seen him actually like a girl before and found his efforts charming, if not clumsy. She also hated the fact that she was suddenly jealous of how _Reno_ was treating a woman. Even with those four days of avoiding the bar – which Elena supposed must have been some part of a plan – he was treating Tifa better than Elena had been treated by a guy in a while. She actually wished Tseng was acting more like Reno.

"Tch," she said at the thought.

Elena realized Rude's chances with Tifa were probably over, but Reno might just have a shot if he actually did something more than flirting with her from a distance. That's _one_ of the reasons she made sure to invite him to go with her to see Tifa. She also invited Rude, of course.

Her other reason was that she hated being alone. It's why she was so dedicated to her job. Her coworkers were her own little messed up family and when she was away from them, she felt lonely. She hated her days off and always tried to get her fellow Turks to go out for drinks, even though going to Seventh Heaven meant she would be ignored.

She finished getting ready and walked out the door, planning to stop for some lunch before meeting the others.

The Turks approached Seventh Heaven and knocked. No answer. They looked at each other and shrugged, assuming it would just take Tifa longer to get down the stairs in her condition. But after several minutes, she still hadn't answered.

"Don't think she's here, yo," Reno said, walking back to the sidewalk and lighting another cigarette.

Rude and Elena sighed and turned to meet their colleague. Probably should have called first, but they assumed she would still be bedridden today.

As luck would have it, Tifa was actually walking down the street back toward her bar, ice cream cone in hand. Unluckily, she was with one of her former AVALANCHE companions and a little girl.

Elena felt like they were all suddenly in an old western showdown. Three against three, even if three of the three weren't putting up a threat. Tifa smiled when she saw the Turks and gave a little wave, but the large man next to her – Elena really didn't remember his name – looked pretty menacing.

"We came to check on you, yo," Reno said, his arms folded across his chest as if he didn't want to be there. Tifa knew better, enjoying this little secret they had.

"How are you?" Rude asked, ignoring Barret's presence.

"She's doin fine," Barret answered for Tifa, moving his good hand toward his gun arm.

Tifa chuckled and licked her ice cream cone before looking up at Barret. Reno got a little lightheaded.

"I can answer for myself, Barret," she said without a hint of indignation. She actually seemed to giggle a little as she said it.

"So, you're feeling better then?" Elena asked.

"It still hurts a lot, but much better today than yesterday," Tifa said. "I used a cure spell this morning."

"That's good to hear," Rude said, though as usual his voice hid all emotion.

"Thank you all for everything you did," Tifa said before turning again to look at Barret. "They helped the night I was hurt. They took me to the hospital, visited during the week, and helped me get home when I discharged."

Barret looked genuinely shocked.

"Marle couldn't have helped you? Or Wymer?" he asked. Tifa rolled her eyes like a teenager disagreeing with a parent.

"Marle visited, but you know how she is. I didn't want her to take that much time away from the orphanage. She'd probably still be here if I let her take me home. And Wymer's so busy trying to keep Edge safe," Tifa explained.

"So the Turks did all that for you?" Barret asked, stroking his chin with his good hand.

Tifa nodded her head. "Mmhmm." She licked her ice cream cone a few more times. Reno's left eye twitched a little.

"Did you ever figure out where those flowers came from?" Elena asked.

Reno wanted to shoot her a look or smile at her question, but he settled on remaining exactly as he had before – as if he weren't the sender and didn't give a rat's ass who was.

"Nope," Tifa said, though she didn't seem upset or even interested in the mystery. Then she decided to toy with Reno a little. "I think they must be from Cloud, he's the only one who knows they're my favorite."

She smiled at no one in particular and took another long lick of ice cream. Reno wanted to leave to get away from this torture. Reno wanted to stay and watch her lick every last ounce of that ice cream.

"Would you all like a drink?" Tifa asked after some more small talk.

Barrett took a deep breath. He didn't appear onboard with the idea, but he didn't appear entirely against it either. If these bastards had helped Tifa when she needed it, he might be able to overlook their past murders – at least for the afternoon.

Marlene didn't seem to connect that these were the same people responsible for kidnapping Aerith two years ago. Of course, that was Tseng, so she probably didn't even know.

"Sure," Rude said in typical Rude fashion.

"Always down to get plastered," Reno added.

Elena nodded her head.

There was a heaviness in the air inside the bar, filled still with the tension between the Turks and Barret. Tifa hoped that drinking with the Turks would help Barret see that they could be forgiven. Barret wasn't so sure. That red-headed one had started the process that killed Biggs, Wedge, Jessie, and thousands of other people. The bald one pushed the button.

* * *

_"I ain't done with you yet! You hear me! Think you can come up in here – do what you want – and we're gonna take it?" Barret had been firing at a Shinra helicopter that was flying near the top of the Sector 7 pillar when Cloud and Tifa joined him._

_It had been awhile since he had seen either of them – actually, he thought Cloud had died – so he was surprised to see him at all. He didn't have time to be suspicious of their absence, as he was trying to keep Shinra out of_ his _Sector._

_"Barret!" Tifa called when she saw him._

_As soon as she spoke, the helicopter aimed at her and began firing. Cloud immediately jumped in front of her and drew his sword to protect her from the hail of bullets keeping her from getting to Barret._

_"Tifa! Get your ass behind cover! Now! Chopper's gonna chew you up!" Barret yelled._

_Cloud ran toward the equipment where Barret was standing to draw the helicopter's fire from Tifa, sliding as he approached to duck beneath the attack._

_"Still alive and kicking?" he asked Barret before looking around the other side of the tanks for any stray guards._

_"Damn right! Leadin' man sticks around till the credits roll!" Barret yelled over the gunfire._

_As he spoke, Cloud reached out an arm to grab Tifa as she ran for cover, pulling her close to ensure she was safe._

_"Though we gotta keep moving if we wanna make it that far. You ready?" Barret asked._

_"Yup," Cloud responded._

_At that moment, the helicopter's fire finally broke through the metal barrier of the tanks hiding AVALANCHE, causing them to explode. The three warriors leapt out of the way to see the helicopter piloted by the Turks approaching the tower. A tall, slender redhead leaned out of the helicopter's open door and stared at Cloud._

_"Time for a rematch, huh…" he said before calling to his partner – Rude – to toss him his weapon._

_The helicopter swooped in and Cloud turned to notice the man for the first time, instantly recognizing him as the Turk he had fought earlier at Aerith's church._

_"You!" he yelled as Reno still hovered above them, tapping his mag rod against his shoulder._

_"It's nothing personal… bitch!" Reno called before jumping down toward Cloud with his weapon drawn and poised to strike. He landed on Cloud's sword as the blond tried to avoid the sparks from Reno's EMR. With a great heave, Cloud threw the redhead off of him and back several feet. Cloud lunged for him but Reno was just a hair faster than the mako-enhanced swordsman._

_"Missed me!" Reno chided as he ran full speed toward the control panel atop the pillar._

_Cloud dashed to catch up but was blocked by a wall of bullets from the helicopter. Barret unloaded his gun arm at the chopper and called to Reno: "You're next, asshole!"_

_"Sorry, losers!" Reno said when he reached the control panel. "Gotta play for keeps today. No time to dick around."_

_He snapped his EMR to his belt and began furiously typing on the control panel. The screen above it flashed with red lights as a voice announced: "Plate separation authorized. Awaiting confirmation."_

_"Yeah, yeah, coming right up," Reno groaned._

_Cloud used Barret's distraction to again lunge for Reno, who was, again, too quick for him, blocking the massive sword with his mag rod._

_"No you don't!" Reno called out. "Not when I'm working!"_

_He batted the sword away and pushed Cloud back. The blond scrambled to his feet, once again surprised that someone who hadn't received the same mako and Jenova enhancements as him was able to throw him around so easily. Reno began stalking toward Cloud, twirling his weapon to his side. Cloud realized the redhead was hesitating and called him out._

_"Press it," he dared._

_"Now, now… You ain't got shit on us."_

_A battle ensued. Even with Barret and Tifa's help, Reno was a strong fighter, but they eventually wore him down. They were close to finishing him off when a voice from the helicopter said over the speaker: "Prepping for bombing run, how copy?"_

_"Say what!?" Reno yelped. He ran from AVALANCHE and leapt over a chain-link fence to recover while the punks – and that gorgeous fighter – dealt with Rude in the helicopter._

_Tifa could have sworn she saw Reno's breath hitch when the helicopter crashed and he briefly thought his partner had died. For a split second she thought there might be some humanity to the madman who had just attacked her friends and set in motion the plan to destroy Sector 7. That notion was quickly erased when he was rejoined by his partner and the two of them started attacking again._

_She couldn't see much of the fight while trapped in the electrified pyramid, but she remembered seeing Reno crouching on the floor, trying to steady his breath, when the pyramid finally broke. She tried to help Cloud and Barret fight Rude, but whenever she approached him he simply pushed her away and cast Sleep on her. For her, it was an infuriating fight – and she didn't notice the boys struggling so much._

_When both Turks had fallen, she rushed to the control panel, but had no idea how to stop the plate separation. She wanted to scream out at her inability to help, to stop the pillar from crushing everyone she knew and her home. She felt useless. She had fought so hard to get back through the sewers, through the train graveyard, and up the pillar just to fail._

_She didn't see Reno crawling toward his mag rod behind her or the whispers beginning to circle._

_Cloud held the tip of his sword to Reno's face while Barret pointed his gun arm at Rude._

_"How do we stop it?" Cloud asked._

_Reno rolled onto his back and sighed. "Who knows?"_

_Rude leapt up and ran to the control panel, the whispers encircling everyone atop the pillar. When they cleared, Tifa was lying motionless on the steel grating and Rude had just pressed the button to authorize the plate separation. He turned toward Cloud and Barret and the two could see almost a hint of regret in his stern expression._

_"Five minutes to go," he told them before picking up his partner and evacuating the area._

* * *

Barret just couldn't let it go. He had sat in silence for some time as Tifa fielded questions from the jackasses or whatever their names were. She answered pleasantly, and Barret hated how she could be so accepting of a bunch of murderers in her bar. He tried to contain his anger, for Tifa's sake and for Marlene's, but dammit, he just couldn't let it go.

He slammed his fist on the counter, causing everyone's drinks to jump a little. All three Turks, Tifa, and Marlene (who was sitting at a table with some coloring books while the grown-ups talked) looked at him in surprise.

"GodDAMMIT" Barret yelled, his voice gruff and reverberating off the walls. "I can't just sit here with these _murderers_ Tifa, I'm sorry. I can't."

He stood up to leave, but Tifa spoke to calm him down.

"Barret, please, we don't have to fight them anymore," she said. Her voice could soothe a dragon. "I think you should also remember that they didn't fight us in Wutai and stood back when we were going after Sephiroth."

"She's right, yo," Reno piped up, though he didn't look at Barret or Tifa. He took another sip of his drink before continuing. "We had orders to kill you all, but we kept letting you go."

This didn't alleviate Barret's anger at all.

"Well ain't that jes' dandy," Barret said condescendingly.

Reno shrugged. He actually _was_ attempting to make the situation better. Oh, well. He tried.

"Barret, really, they're good customers and they haven't caused any trouble," she said, omitting the fact that Reno and Rude had stolen her and Vincent's research in Nibelheim. "Besides, Reno apologized for Sector 7."

Had he? Had he actually said he was sorry? Now Reno was thinking back to the first few times he had tried to talk to Tifa. Uh, yep, nope, he had not actually apologized. He said she killed people and they were just following orders – that _definitely_ wasn't an apology or a step into her good graces – and then he said dropping the plate was one of his demons and he regretted it. That was _sort_ of an apology, but he would have argued otherwise.

But he took it as a chance to score a few points with Tifa. It seemed like she was giving him a chance to make amends with one of her friends. He should probably take it.

"It eats me up inside," he said, though his tone was a little sarcastic.

Barret growled. Was he a human or some kind of monster-human-cyborg hybrid?

"Oh, I just bet it does," Barret snapped.

Reno actually started praying that no one would ask him whether he would do it again right now. The truth is he _would_ if he was instructed to do so, and it would kill him inside just as much as it did two years ago. But orders were orders and Shinra kept him employed. He really didn't want to have to say that in front of Tifa though, as it would definitely take him two steps back in her eyes. He supposed if he were asked, he could lie, but that might make him look weak in front of Rude and Elena. He figured the best course of action was to say something else to try and get off the topic.

"It does," he said plainly. "And I think I've done enough around here to make amends for it. I don't need to be judged by the likes of you."

Now Reno stood up and reached in his pockets to produce some gil to pay his tab, even though Tifa had been the one to suggest drinks. Looks like he wouldn't be able to catch her alone or prove his worth today. He'd just have to take the hit to avoid hurting his pride or risk angering her.

"Reno, you don't have to leave," Tifa said, honestly shocking everyone. "Barret, please, we have to move on from this. There's no point in holding grudges."

Barret sat back on his stool and pouted. He didn't like this one bit, but he trusted Tifa's judgment.

"Fine, let's just keep drinking," Barret said. Tifa smiled and poured him another drink.

" _Now_ you're speaking my language," Reno said, taking his seat again.

He took the money back as well. He'd find a way to "tip" her another time.

The rest of the afternoon went along rather pleasantly, Tifa thought. And she was feeling well enough to open the bar, with plans to close early if she needed. She was wearing a sundress with red flowers on it to cover her midriff and hide her bandages. It had been driving Reno insane all day. In one swift motion he could have her naked thanks to a dress like that.

He had taken several cigarette breaks in the hope that she would take the hint and take the trash out for another secret rendezvous, but she didn't. When he saw her leave to take the trash out he thought it would be too obvious if he followed her. _Think, man, think_. What could he do?

On his way back from the bathroom (he thought maybe he could at least catch her near the back room) he saw his answer: That little girl. Get in good with the child and her little child mind would tell Tifa to like him. The little girl had been coloring by herself at a table in the corner of the bar near the counter, and Tifa was keeping a close eye on her. Barret also spent some time with the girl but was – surprisingly – having some interesting conversation with Rude and Elena.

"You really should have stayed and drank with us," Rude said, a little tipsy, regarding their encounter in Wutai two years ago. Barret had wandered into Turtle's Paradise after Cloud, Vincent, and Aerith had found the Turks, deciding to have a drink while he waited for the others to come back.

"Shiite, I kinda wanted to," Barret said. "But I just as equally wanted to kick yo asses."

"That's what _I_ wanted to do to you all!" Elena stated before all three broke out into laughter.

_Alcohol really did solve all of life's problems._

The exchange made him think back to another memory in Wutai, one he had kept locked up all these years due to the guilt it caused.

* * *

_Reno's legs seemed to be working again and he needed a cigarette after expending so much energy keeping Elena from attacking Cloud and his entourage in the bar, so he pulled a pack out of his inside jacket pocket and placed one between his lips before moving to stand from his chair. He took a look back at Barret, who had just entered and scowled at them as he took a seat at the bar, before sighing and heading out for a smoke._

_As he stepped outside a side door and lit up, he noticed the other AVALANCHE chick – the one who kept popping into his dreams – walking toward the bar from the shrine._

_She was alone and didn't seem to notice Reno as she walked past, her arms wrapped around herself and her gaze fixed on the ground. A light breeze gently dislodged her hair from her shoulder, exposing her sullen expression. Reno pinched his eyebrows together as he studied her, wondering what could make such a beautiful creature suffer. His eye fell to her skirt once she had passed him._

_As he leered, his ears perked up as footsteps approached from where she had emerged. Reno snapped his head toward the sound, assuming it would be one of the other AVALANCHE cockroaches that traveled with Cloud, but he saw someone much more heinous. He immediately dropped his cigarette and re-entered Turtle's Paradise, appearing as though he still had not a care in the world._

_"We should probably get moving, yo," he told his comrades, who had just received another round of drinks. "Corneo's here."_

_Elena and Rude shot a glance at him. Shinra intel had indicated he had been killed after the plate fell. Somehow that sewer rat just kept finding a way to survive._

_Reno appeared calm before his colleagues, but inside his gut had dropped. Seeing Corneo stalking Tifa had upset something within him, something he only thought existed for his fellow Turks. He felt the need to stop the lascivious pervert before he could get to her._

_"Let's split up to cover more ground, he could be anywhere," Reno ordered._

_Had they stayed together, Elena might not have been captured and nearly killed._

* * *

Reno shook the thought from his head. Too many regrets today.

He strolled past the bar to where Marlene was sitting with her coloring books.

"Can I sit with you?" he asked.

The little girl looked at him and turned red, then nodded and smiled. Reno pulled a chair around the table to sit next to her and look over her drawings.

"I'm Reno, what's your name?"

"…Marlene," she said with a giggle.

"What are you drawing here, Marlene?"

"Cloud. Do you know him?"

Reno rolled his eyes so the girl couldn't see. What was everyone's obsession with _that guy_?

"Yeah, I know him. He's alright," Reno lied through his teeth. All part of the plan.

"I hope he comes back soon," Marlene said, her voice saddened.

"We all do." Another lie. And this one stung. Reno needed more time with Tifa before that pokey-headed bucket of fail came back into the picture. As it stood now, Tifa probably wouldn't have any concern about running back into Cloud's arms. He needed to change that.

"Hey, Marlene," the little girl looked up at him with wide eyes. "Have you ever been in a helicopter before?"

"No, but I've seen them."

"Well, I'm a helicopter pilot. What would you say if I took you and your dad and your auntie Tifa up in one someday?"

Marlene smiled, showing all her teeth, though at least one baby tooth was missing.

"You'll take auntie Tifa, too?" Marlene asked.

"Sure, if she wants to."

"Did _you_ give Tifa those flowers?"

And suddenly Reno found himself lost for words. Thankfully Tifa came over and put a hand on Marlene's shoulder to interrupt them. She stood between the two, and due to Reno hunching over to slump to Marlene's level, it meant his face was right next to Tifa's hip. He could smell her perfume and feel the heat from her belly.

"Is he being nice?" Tifa asked Marlene.

"Tch," Reno said under his breath, sitting back in his chair. As if he would antagonize a little girl.

Marlene eagerly nodded her head. "He said he would take us all up in a helicopter!"

"Did he?" Tifa looked at Reno. He looked at her through heavy lids and nodded. Tifa crouched down to Marlene's level. "Well, that certainly sounds fun, doesn't it?"

Marlene agreed. Reno mentally high fived himself. Pure genius.

"Okay, let's let Reno get back to his friends, okay Marlene?"

Marlene smiled again and grabbed a new piece of paper. "Byyye Reno…" she said without looking at him.

Reno sat back at the bar next to Rude and resumed drinking.

"Have a nice chat?" Elena asked.

Reno was confused. He hadn't noticed Elena and Rude watching him talk to Marlene. Barret was lost in his drink at the moment, or he probably wouldn't have approved. Elena had noticed it first, and casually smacked Rude in the arm with the back of her hand to get his attention. A slight smirk escaped Rude's lips when he saw Reno talking to the little girl. Rude didn't think Reno cared for children, though he supposed the redhead had quite a bit in common with them, given his immaturity and penchant for pranks. His eyes then narrowed when he realized Reno must be up to something by talking to Barret's kid.

Reno wasn't able to get Tifa alone that night, but he figured getting the kid to warm up to him was just as good – at least as far as Tifa's affections went. He did want to take Tifa up in the helicopter, just not with Barret and Marlene. Still, whatever worked. He walked home that night with his usual swagger, his hands clasped behind his head.

Barret helped Tifa close up the bar early since her injury had started bothering her again. The brunette took Marlene and her drawings upstairs to get ready for bed and the little girl helped Tifa change her bandages again. While changing the bandages, Tifa looked over at the top picture on Marlene's stack of drawings.

"Marlene, what's that?" she asked.

"That's a helicopter," she said matter-of-factly, as if the black blob with a bunch of lines sticking out of the top was just as clear as a photograph.

"Mmhmm," Tifa said.

"And that's daddy, and me, and you, and Reno," Marlene added.

Tifa bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from saying what she wanted to say. He was crafty, she had to give him that. But bribing a child to try and get Tifa into bed? That was low. That was _real_ low.

"Let's go to bed, sweetie," Tifa said, kissing Marlene on the forehead.

Tifa settled into bed herself and had just turned off the lights when her phone buzzed. Despite her annoyance with Reno for clearly targeting Marlene that night, she felt a smile cross her lips knowing that it would be a text from him.

"Helicopter tomorrow?" it said.

_Oh, was he really serious?_

This was certainly a strange turn of events, she thought. Was Reno trying to be… nice? Had to be an act. But Marlene did seem excited about his suggestion now…

Tifa drifted off to sleep before she could think too much longer about Reno's game. If it made Marlene happy, she would go along with it, provided Barret would trust a Turk enough to let them fly him into the sky.


	20. A Day At The Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If there's one thing in this whole world you ain't, Lockhart, it's alone." - Reno.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue taken from Final Fantasy VII.

Marlene had been chattering about Reno's promise all morning. Tifa honestly thought the little girl might forget what the Turk said to her the previous night by the time she woke up – or that she would be less amenable to the idea given that Reno was a stranger to her. No such luck. And now Barret was irritated.

"He said _what_?" he asked, his voice raised and guttural. " _When_ did he talk to you?"

"Last night," Marlene offered in her most innocent-sounding tone. Barret's face contorted even further into a grimace. What kind of man talks to a little girl that isn't his own and makes promises to her about taking her on trips?

"He offered to take us all up today," Tifa added, as if that might help make Barret more comfortable.

"Out of the question," Barret said defiantly.

"Why not?" Marlene asked with a bit of a whine to her voice. Barret's eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

"Because he's the one who—"

"Barret!" Tifa interjected, giving him a look.

However much Barret might hate Reno, he couldn't tell Marlene what the redhead had done. She was only four when the plate dropped, and Barret didn't need to bring up a trauma that had affected her childhood so deeply. It was better for her to be blissfully ignorant of everyone who was involved rather than be reminded of that day.

"It's not happening," Barret insisted.

They were all seated in Tifa's kitchen eating breakfast – eggs and pancakes, at Marlene's behest.

"Daddy!"

"Barret, she really wants to go, and remember what we talked about yesterday…"

"Drinking with them Turks is one thing, but letting one – _that_ one – take us into the air in some rickety helicopter is out of the question," Barret said. He then shifted his gaze to Marlene and let his expression drop, looking into her big brown eyes and feeling his resolve tremble. "Marlene, we can't always get what we want, and we can't expect other people to do what we want."

Tifa didn't interject again. Barret was Marlene's guardian, and truth be told, Tifa didn't really think Reno was being serious even with his text the night before. Nor did she think any of this was a good idea since the monster population was getting out of control and trying to protect Marlene during any trip would be difficult.

"But he offered!" Marlene exclaimed, throwing her hands out to the side. "He's nice!"

Barret and Tifa both snorted at that comment.

Barret hated to disappoint Marlene, especially since he had been doing that for most of her life. But he was also worried about her safety – that Turk could be planning something against AVALANCHE for all he knew. Still, if they all went up with him, maybe they would be safe. After all, he had always been a pushover during their earlier quest. Barret hung his head and took a deep breath. He shook his head in disbelief of what he was about to say.

He lifted his head and saw Marlene, wide-eyed and hopeful, staring back at him. He couldn't say no to that little face.

"Okay, but _one_ short trip and that's it," he said, trying to maintain some semblance of authority.

Marlene got up from the table and ran around to give her father a hug. Tifa smiled at the display of familial love. She missed that. She missed having Marlene around her home like in Sector 7. Things were so much simpler then – and she wasn't alone.

She stepped into her bedroom to text Reno back, figuring he wouldn't answer or would cancel or wouldn't show up at their meeting time and place if one was agreed upon. The whole thing was a ploy to get her attention, and bailing would certainly be a very Reno thing to do, she thought. If that were the case, she'd need to come up with something equally as entertaining to excite Marlene. If Reno let down that little girl…

"Good for helicopter today? Can you pick us up at 11?" she sent the text and held her breath.

She had never responded to one of Reno's texts before and didn't want to make it a habit. This was all for Marlene. Reno would have to behave himself around Barret and his daughter, of that Tifa was thankful.

Then there was that little part of her that thought it might be _fun_ to go up in a helicopter and spend the day with Reno. As much as she told herself she hated their encounters, she was really coming to enjoy what each new day would bring – whether he would sneak up on her and how he would make her smile.

Oh, Gods help her, she actually _liked_ his presence. Couldn't be, she just missed _Cloud's_ presence. She hadn't experienced liking someone other than Cloud before, so this was all new territory to her. It was exciting and horrifying at the same time. She really hoped Cloud would just come home soon to end all these thoughts rattling around in her brain.

* * *

Reno woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing. Probably Elena again, wanting to hang out on Sunday so she wouldn't be alone. Weakling. Why couldn't she just drink alone like everyone else?

He checked his phone and immediately shot up in bed, the sheets falling below his naked torso, when he saw who had texted him. He even rubbed his eyes to be sure he was reading correctly.

"1 text message from Tifa."

Hot damn, that little girl worked a miracle. Maybe kids weren't so bad. They did seem to like Reno for some reason, but he hadn't usually tried to connect with any. He had that reputation and all; couldn't look like he'd pull his punches if children were around. He destroyed Sector 7, dammit, who knows how many kids died by his hand.

He shuddered at the thought. That, more than anything, had always haunted him. President Shinra ordered him to kill all those people, including children, just because of some little eco-terrorist group.

He shook his head to dismiss the thought. He had a text waiting for him.

"Good for helicopter today? Can you pick us up at 11?"

So, it wasn't the sexiest text, but it did mean he would get to see her if he got his shit together. He checked the time on his phone after reflexively looking to where his alarm clock used to sit. He hadn't bought a new one, and the one in pieces on the floor wasn't talking anymore.

Shit! It was already past 10!

Reno jumped out of bed as if he had gotten an urgent, direct command from Rufus Shinra himself, then ran to the bathroom for a quick shower and shave. No time for coffee. Wait, there was _always_ time for coffee.

It was the fastest he had gotten to the office from his apartment in, well, ever. The helicopter was on the roof.

Okay, so he didn't _exactly_ have permission to use the helicopter whenever he wanted, but that hadn't stopped him before – and he hadn't been caught. He knew how to get to the roof undetected, even though he did feel a pang of guilt using his Turk training against his employer. Just a pang, though. Besides, he and Rude were the only professional pilots Shinra had at the moment, it _basically_ belonged to him.

Twenty past 11, but the chopper was fast. He had to fly it back over Old Midgar and then quite away around Edge to keep it out of sight of any Shinra employees. Thankfully, the new Shinra building had been erected near the wall to Old Midgar, making it easier to sneak the vehicle off company property.

It felt good to be back in the sky again. It'd been a couple months since he and Rude went to Nibelheim, and he had been itching to get back into the pilot's seat. Plus, he was going to get to spend his day with Tifa (and the oaf and the kid, but whatever) and he was much more excited about the antics they could get up to than spending another day drinking with Rude and Elena.

Don't get him wrong, he _loved_ drinking with Rude and Elena, but he needed a change of pace, even for just one day.

He had texted Tifa back to tell her to meet him on the outskirts of the city to the east. With hardship came ingenuity. Since the monster attacks had gotten so bad businesses had to close, Edge learned to adapt. Business owners who could afford it built roof entrances to their establishments, while average citizens constructed roof-top pathways. The monsters were generally confined to the ground, so residents of the world's largest city created a whole system of skywalks and ladders to keep the city running as best it could. It was crude in some parts of town, with simple planks of wood and whatever else residents could find that would fit between buildings to allow passage.

Since Tifa lived above her bar, roof access wasn't possible, but she did work out a deal with the one-story business next door that allowed people to climb down the other building and walk just a few feet to the front door of Seventh Heaven. Most of her patrons didn't see the brief danger as a hindrance to their drinking, but she had to start cutting people off before they got too drunk to traverse the skywalks.

To get to the outskirts of the city, Tifa, Barret, and Marlene climbed and carefully crossed the paths leading east. Barret carried Marlene over the more dangerous bridges, but the little girl quickly showed she was adept at making her way over the make-shift walkways.

It's how they had gotten to the ice-cream shop the day before, but had decided to use the sidewalk on the way back to Seventh Heaven since there didn't seem to be any monsters in the short distance to the bar – and the rooftop paths had become crowded.

Reno half expected them not to show, but after a couple swings in the chopper, he saw her with the big man and the little girl. Barret was shooting at a few doomrats that were trying to get into the city as Tifa was helping Marlene down from the ladder against the last building in Edge.

Reno switched the chopper to autopilot briefly so he could fire some warning bullets from the helicopter's machine gun on the earth outside the city. It would certainly draw attention to the vehicle, but this location was specifically chosen because it was far enough away from where any snooping Shinra employees lived.

The distraction worked to scare off the fiends and he set the helicopter down a little further from Edge before shutting off the engine and disembarking. He trotted around the vehicle to greet his new companions, taking immediate notice of what Tifa was wearing.

"Where to?" he said cheerfully as he looked them over.

Tifa donned a pair of jean cutoff shorts that showed off even more of her toned legs than her usual miniskirt, along with an oversized crop top that sloped down one shoulder to reveal the thick red strap of a bikini. Reno's mind instantly filled with thoughts of what might be uncovered when she removed the coverup; visions of seeing what remained covered by her damp dress from the night they kissed dancing through his head. Completing Tifa's ensemble were flipflops and a big floppy hat with large round sunglasses that nearly covered her face. She was clearly prepared for a beach trip.

"The beach!" Marlene said excitedly. She too, had sunglasses and a bathing suit on, though hers was a purple one-piece.

Barret was dressed… as Barret. He never had time for beach trips. He was also standing with his arms folded and his gaze narrowed on Reno, searching for the dastardly scheme the Turk had worked out against them.

"The beach it is, then," Reno beamed, though his cheerfulness seemed a bit contrived.

Things couldn't have worked out better, in Reno's mind, as he led them back to the helicopter. He'd get to spend the day racking up points with Tifa and staring at her half naked. He had always wondered – but never complained – why women were perfectly comfortable wearing basically their underwear in public so long as they were near the ocean. Tifa had been _so_ concerned about him seeing her in her underwear yet here she was offering herself up on a silver platter, and she didn't seem concerned. He loved it.

"You don't actually have to land," Tifa told him quietly as they approached the helicopter. "I told her it was most likely just a short flight and not an all-day trip."

"Don't worry 'bout it," Reno said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I got nothing else to do today. Might as well laze around a beach." He turned to look over his shoulder at Barret and Marlene, who were a few feet behind them. "Besides, any chance to see you half naked is worth a sunburn."

Tifa wanted to shove him for his comment but clenched her fist instead. She couldn't let Barret know he had said anything crass to her or he might get suspicious about Reno's intentions. She didn't want Marlene's day to be ruined over an errant comment.

"Expect payback," she whispered when he realized she would not retaliate in front of Barret.

Reno grinned and opened the side door, offering his hand to help Tifa step inside. She accepted, and he did the same for Marlene, but Barret pulled her away and lifted her up on his own to Tifa's awaiting arms. Reno shrugged and returned to the pilot's seat, giving instructions on how to use the headsets so they could keep in contact before taking off.

They were already over the ocean when Tifa made her way to the cockpit, supporting herself by leaning on the back of the two pilot's chairs.

"Shouldn't we have landed back there?" she called over the roar of the engine.

"You said the beach, right?" Reno asked.

"Yes, I thought you understood the _Midgar_ beaches," she said.

Barret's distrust level was rising as soon as he saw the chopper fly over the ocean between the Eastern and Western Continents. He _knew_ that Turk was taking them somewhere for an ambush.

"So, I'm taking you to the beach!" Reno called over the headset.

It was then that the three passengers saw Costa del Sol out the window. Marlene was ecstatic, having never been to the resort town before.

Tifa became nostalgic, memories of happier times flooding back as she took in the crystal waters and golden sands. She still had the key to the villa on her keyring. Her heart jumped at the thought of finding Cloud in town. It would break her heart to learn that he had moved to the resort town after their discussion in The Forgotten Capital. She knew it wasn't likely that he would be there, but if he left because he didn't love her anymore, what was stopping him from finding someone new?

Reno set the chopper down in a secure area just outside of town, where a team of guards were working to ensure tourists could still visit despite the increase in monster attacks around the world. The Costa police force must have rivaled Junon's, securing the outer perimeter of the town and the beach to keep visitors safe. As Reno stepped out of the cockpit, he felt his stomach drop at the sudden realization that he might run into Maur while in town. He didn't think the Turk would turn in his superior officer for an obviously unofficial use of company property, but he might get the wrong idea about Reno's relationship with Tifa and blab to his coworkers. Maur always was an awkward romantic.

Still, Reno walked around the helicopter with a smug grin on his face, quite proud of himself for the extra step he had taken to ensure Marlene's happiness and the points that would score him with Tifa. He helped the girls with their bags – perfect gentleman – and led them into town like he was their personal chauffeur or something. The beach was surprisingly crowded thanks to the Costa Tourism Board's campaign to attract travelers by emphasizing the increased security. Costa del Sol was still the lovable little resort town it had always been, but the AVALANCHE members now noticed there was a large police presence in the street and especially around the beach.

"Those Midgar beaches are no good, yo," Reno said as they made their way toward the oceanfront. "We'd be fighting monsters all day. At least here the police keep them at bay."

As he spoke, Barret could hear the distant sounds of gunfire and metal meeting flesh, a small price to pay, he assumed, for those wealthy enough to travel at this time to enjoy a little sun.

They managed to find a space on the beach and set down some towels. Tifa was dying to go see the villa, but Marlene was already running to the water.

"Marlene, wait!" Tifa called as she chased after the little girl.

That left Barret and Reno alone on the beach.

"What's your angle?" Barret asked, accusatorially, though he didn't take his eyes off Marlene.

"No angle," Reno said casually. "I wanted to take the chopper out and figured I could make your girl happy."

"My girl?" Barret asked, his eyes narrowing as he whipped his head toward the Turk.

"Your daughter."

"Right," Barret was now suspicious in a different way. "Just how often do you come to the bar?"

"A few times a week, it's Rude's favorite place," Reno said while watching Tifa try to keep Marlene from wading into the ocean.

Reno had noticed Tifa's stitches had nearly dissolved, which must have been thanks to Cure spells repairing the surface wound. She wasn't completely healed though, and he knew she was smart enough not to go into the filthy ocean without closing the wound first.

"Uh huh," Barret said. It was all starting to make sense, but he figured he'd let it go for now.

Tifa returned with Marlene, practically dragging the little girl back to their towels. She already looked a little winded from trying to herd the girl.

"She _really_ wants to go swimming," Tifa said to Barret upon their return.

"Can you take her? I guess we'll be here for a while, might as well go buy some trunks," Barret said, eyeing the shops behind the beach.

"You mean you didn't pack your sailor suit?" Tifa teased.

If anyone other than Tifa had just made that comment, Barret probably would have murdered them on the spot. He prayed Reno hadn't heard, though the redhead didn't seem to be paying much attention. Barret stormed off toward the town as Tifa began to remove her outer clothing.

"Now _this_ is what I came here to see," Reno smirked as Tifa began to remove her crop top, folded it, and placed it in her beach bag. When that was done, she quickly put her hat and sunglasses back on.

Reno's expression dropped when she had fully removed the shirt only to reveal a red bikini top that covered as much of her chest as her usual tank top. Reno had expected – dreamed of, rather – a tiny string bikini that barely covered her breasts.

"Behave," Tifa warned, motioning toward Marlene.

"What did you come here to see?" Marlene asked, prompting Tifa to give Reno a look.

"The ocean, sweetheart," Reno cooed. "The ocean."

Tifa removed her shorts and placed them in her bag as well, completely aware of Reno's constant gaze. At least her bikini bottoms revealed more than her usual skirt.

She rolled her eyes. Yup, he used Marlene to get a day with her. Not like she was making it difficult for him, what with allowing Marlene to choose the beach as their destination.

"What's with the hat?" Reno asked once Tifa had finished removing her cover up. Tifa leaned close to him to whisper.

"It was for the sun but since we're here I'm going to use it for the paparazzi. They're getting bad again and I don't want to risk more articles," she said as quietly as possible.

Reno cocked an eyebrow at her admission and realized it might have been a mistake to come to the resort town.

Marlene kept looking at the ocean, forcing herself to stay near Tifa while the older woman sighed and hesitated.

"Hey, Reno, do you have your Restore materia by chance?" Tifa asked the redhead.

"Yup. Need to finish closing the wound?"

"If you don't mind."

Reno pulled out his mag rod and cast Cura just to be sure the wound completely closed. There was still a scar, but to the untrained eye it might look like an old injury instead of one that required her to stay in the hospital the past week.

Marlene watched Tifa get healed and couldn't help but remember the other night. Now she was sure she had heard a Cure spell in Tifa's room as she was returning with a fresh glass of water, but she had just seen Tifa's Restore materia in the first-aid box downstairs where she retrieved the potion earlier in the day. Thankfully, for Tifa, Marlene was too young to put it all together.

"Ready to go swimming, Marlene?" Tifa asked the little girl, who nodded eagerly.

Reno certainly enjoyed watching Tifa walk away. He rolled up his sleeves and leaned back on his towel, just imagining all the vile things he'd love to do to that woman. He watched as Tifa held Marlene's hand until the water was up to the little girl's waist, and then kneeled down in the ocean to teach her the basics of swimming. Tifa would make an excellent mother someday, he thought, uh, for some other guy who was certainly not him because all he wanted from her was sex. Definitely. One hundred percent. Just sticking to the plan.

He watched as this gorgeous, nurturing woman coaxed the little girl onto her stomach while keeping her own hands underneath the child just to get her used to floating in the water. He could watch her all day.

"You ain't swimming?" came a husky voice that brought him out of his thoughts.

"Nah, never learned," Reno told Barret, without taking his eyes off Tifa.

"Really?" Barret asked, sitting down on the towel furthest from Reno, now wearing some black cargo swim trunks. Why did they have pockets? Who knew, but there they were.

"Yep, grew up in the slums," Reno informed him. "No water, and even if there was, you wouldn't wanna swim in it."

"Gonna ask her to teach ya?" Barret said with a half-smirk.

"Hmm?" Reno was only half paying attention to his former adversary, who he still wasn't too keen on.

Barret just chuckled to himself and watched Marlene splashing about in the shallow water. Tifa looked back at him and smiled, then turned Marlene around so she could wave.

"She's an amazing woman, ya know," Barret said in a warning tone. He didn't want to start anything with Reno right now but wanted to give him the "don't you dare touch her" talk, even if he didn't believe Tifa would ever allow the Turk near her in the first place.

Reno didn't answer. Oh, he heard Barret alright, but wasn't about to let the big man think he was right. Because he wasn't.

"Well, enjoy your view," Barret said mockingly as he stood up and strolled down to the beach to join Tifa and Marlene.

Tifa let Barret take over teaching Marlene how to swim and laughed at the image of such a large man being so delicate with such a small girl. Tifa stood up and took a few steps back from them in the water, just to make sure Barret had things under control, then headed back to her towel to get some sun.

She sat down gently, trying not to squish her wound. Even with that final Cura spell, the thing still hurt. The salt water _definitely_ didn't make it feel any better, but she didn't want to say no to Marlene or be alone with Reno right off the bat. She didn't want Barret to get the wrong idea.

Tifa took off her hat and sunglasses since everyone around them seemed to be simply enjoying the beach. She bent her knees but leaned back on her elbows, squinting at Reno in the glare of the sun that was shining just behind his head, making his bright red hair look like it was on fire.

"Not going to swim today?" she asked. Reno didn't want to admit to her that he couldn't.

"Nope, today I am just a humble chauffeur," he said, pretending to tip a hat toward her.

"Too bad, I was hoping to get some time to just lie in the sun by myself."

"Well, you know I can be quiet," Reno said, that roguish grin forming on his face. "Besides, I can't wait to see you with tan lines."

Tifa swatted him with the back of her hand and sat up to start applying sunscreen. She had gotten sunburned in Costa del Sol last year and did not want to experience that again. Her only consolation was that Cloud had gotten burned as well, so they suffered together and spent the next couple days regularly applying aloe to each other. It _would_ have been hot if they hadn't been in so much agony.

* * *

_"Morning, lobster," Cloud said to her one morning when they were both at their reddest._

_"Mmm morning firetruck," she responded, in a voice that otherwise would have turned him on if the very thought of moving didn't cause him so much torture._

_"Moogle nose."_

_"Ruby Weapon."_

_"Hedgehog pie."_

_"Reno's hair."_

_"Hey," Cloud said, "let's not say things we can't take back."_

_"I'd laugh but my face hurts."_

* * *

"Want some help?" Reno looked positively devilish.

"I'm good, thanks," Tifa waved him off and smiled wryly. "Remember, I'm very flexible."

She put some sunscreen in her hands and reached behind her to apply it to her own shoulder blades, then applied a little more and reached her hands back lower to apply it to the area around her bikini top strap. It tugged her wound, but she wasn't about to give Reno the chance to touch her when Barret could see.

"Impressive," Reno said with a nod of his head and a short golf clap. "Now how far back can you stretch your legs?"

Tifa chuckled and shook her head before lying back down on her towel and stretching out her legs.

"You're really going to sit here all day in the sun like this?" she asked the redhead.

"Do you need silence to get a tan?"

Tifa snickered.

"You can use my sunscreen if you want," she said, handing him the bottle. She closed her eyes and settled in.

"Thanks, but I may need help with my back, yo," Reno said, deciding that it was too hot to wear a dress shirt even with the sleeves rolled up. He started to unbutton the shirt before applying lotion to his arms and front.

"You're saying you're not very flexible?" Tifa teased.

"Oh, I'll show you how flexible I am…"

"Tifa! Watch me!" Marlene called from the ocean.

Tifa sat up gently to see that Marlene was now paddling in the shallow water toward Barret, who kept moving backward while crouched down to get her to swim a little further.

"You're doing great, sweetie!" Tifa called to the girl, before lying back on her mat and hoping Reno had lost his train of thought.

"So, about my back…"

Of course.

"Fine, but only because I know how painful it is to be sunburnt," Tifa said, getting to her knees and squeezing some sunscreen onto her hands. She then rubbed them together and started massaging it onto Reno's muscular back. He was paler than Cloud, and thinner, but he was clearly fit with lean muscles in all the right places.

She hadn't touched a man like this since she rubbed aloe onto Cloud's back after their little getaway in Costa del Sol last year. The bar was under construction, so they spent a week in the resort town just enjoying each other's company and basking in the sun. It was one of her most perfect memories with Cloud. They both laughed and loved and didn't seem to notice there was anyone in the world but each other. She would give anything to have those days back…

"Having fun back there?" Reno asked after he realized Tifa was taking too long.

She shook her head and finished applying sunscreen to the small of his back.

"Sorry," she said, embarrassed.

"I already know how you find me distracting," Reno said, smiling.

"You and your ego!" Tifa rolled her eyes before lying back down on the towel and closing her eyes.

She thought about the villa, and whether Cloud had stayed there recently or if he was there right now. She wanted to investigate but didn't want to appear hopelessly devoted after what he said in The Forgotten Capital. If he _were_ there now, however, he could come out at any moment and catch her out of context with Reno.

"Reno?" she asked after a few minutes of silence had passed.

"Yeah, babe?"

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry, babe."

"Did you get me those flowers?"

"How could I? I was working all day and visiting you in the hospital – or out drinking with Rude."

"Reno?"

"Nuh uh, lady, you ain't gettin' nothin' outta me," Reno smirked. "I'm trained to withstand all sorts of interrogation techniques."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"What about this one?" she said softly, causing him to look in her direction only to find her looking up at him with the sweetest, most pathetic puppy-dog eyes he had ever seen on a person.

"Uh… nope, not gonna work."

She pouted her lips and somehow managed to look even more pitiful. Reno turned away from her and lifted his chin in an exaggerated protest maneuver but turned his head to look over his shoulder at her with one eye opened. Tifa started quivering her lower lip and acting as if she were about to cry. She knew he was struggling.

"…still nothing."

Tifa let out a soft whimper.

"No way," Reno was more defiant now. "Well, there might be _some_ way you could convince me to tell the truth," he said with a grin.

"You're terrible!" she retorted, smacking him with the back of her hand.

"Yanno, we've never had this much time together, just the two of us," he offered, seeming a little nostalgic.

"Well, that's usually because you sneak up on me and can't keep your hands to yourself!"

"So, you're saying you wouldn't mind spending time with me like this?"

He had her now. She'd walked into a trap he hadn't even planned to set.

"You ain't gettin' nothin' outta me," she said, mimicking him.

"Sounds like a yes if I ever heard one."

Tifa sat up as quickly as she could with her still-sore wound.

"So, you _did_ get me those flowers!" she was already sure it was him, but this was basically confirmation. And she was still surprised. It was _Reno_ after all. "How'd you do it? _Why'd_ you do it?"

"I was in the Nibelheim neighborhood…" he said calmly.

"Bullshit."

"Hey, _language_ there, little lady."

"So, Reno really does have a soft side," Tifa laid back down and brought her hands up behind her head in triumph.

"Huh? No way!" he quickly tried to correct. "I'm hard, baby, ain't nothin' soft about me."

"Yeah, okay," Tifa said sarcastically. "Your secret's safe with me."

Barret and Marlene returned, with the little girl excitedly telling Tifa about how she was just swimming,

"I saw," Tifa said in mock excitement to encourage Marlene. "You were doing great out there."

"Yeah but it's really tiring," Marlene said, plopping down on her towel.

She'd be back up and playing in five minutes, tops, Tifa bet herself.

"Hey Barret, I'm gonna go check out the villa, will you be okay here for a minute?" Tifa asked.

"Sure," he said. "Take your time."

Tifa stood up and put her hat and sunglasses back on. As far as she knew, no one had been to the villa since she and Cloud visited the previous year. She grabbed the key out of her bag and made her way to the house AVALANCHE had purchased while chasing Sephiroth.

It had been a whim, one of those unpredictable, sort of romantic kind of moments with Cloud. She and Yuffie had been with him when they returned to Costa del Sol before heading back to the Northern Crater for their final confrontation. They had known long before that the place was for sale following President Shinra's death, but hadn't expected it to still be on the market so much later. They had just sold their first mastered "Magnify" materia, and Cloud suddenly wanted to go on a spending spree. Tifa supposed it was because he never had much money growing up.

* * *

_Cloud and the two remaining AVALANCHE women burst into the villa without considering whether it might now be someone's home. Tifa and Yuffie had actually been giggling about Cloud's claim that he was going to buy the place and name it "Villa Cloud."_

_"Sure you are," Tifa had teased when he made the suggestion. He may have been feeling better after Tifa helped him find his conscious in the Lifestream, but he still didn't seem to be the type of person who would buy a beachfront home on a whim._

_Cloud's swagger as he entered the building shocked the realtor, who was again napping on the bed when they entered. He leapt up and looked the three over and somehow (must have been some kind of realtor sense) that they could afford the place._

_"'Praise the Lord,'" he said. "It's a miracle! Who'd ever think someone with some real money would ever come here… I probably shouldn't even ask, but are you really going to buy it?"_

_Cloud looked back at Tifa, who was trying to stifle a laugh. He hadn't shared his feelings with her yet, but he had rediscovered his love for her. He wouldn't admit this until much later, but he had bought this place for her._

_"Yep, 300,000 gil," Cloud said._

_He handed the realtor the money in an unmarked sack, feeling a suitcase would have been too seedy and cliché, though he had briefly toyed with the idea until Yuffie asked if he was trying to look like a "mobster."_

_Cloud turned back to Tifa after signing the necessary paperwork. She was still not believing the purchase was complete, even though she witnessed the whole thing._

_"Oh my GAWD, he bought you a house!" Yuffie enthused before running into the bedroom to jump on one of the mattresses._

_Tifa blushed. She liked when Yuffie – or anyone else, for that matter – hinted to her that Cloud was in love with her, but she didn't really believe it at the time. She certainly_ hoped _they knew something she didn't, but she didn't find it likely._

_Cloud scratched the back of his head and approached Tifa while Yuffie was in the other room._

_"Why don't you, uh, hold on to this key," he asked. "Just wanna keep it safe in case Sephiroth wants to take control of me again. We can make another key later."_

_Tifa beamed. Maybe Yuffie had been right. Either way,_ she _now had the keys to her very own Costa del Sol villa that she could visit whenever she wanted._

* * *

Tifa moved through the town quickly, keeping her head down but occasionally looking around for anyone who may be a member of the press. Her face was covered and her long hair was secured under her hat in a messy bun, but someone could be watching the villa. It was known that Cloud Strife had purchased it and that he and Tifa had spent a vacation there last year – it made the tabloids, as did pictures of them on the beach together. She took one last look around her before approaching the villa.

She reached the door and froze. He could be here. He could be here. He could be here and hiding from her and chasing skirts on the beach and break her heart all over again. Maybe she didn't want to find out what was inside.

But she had to.

She placed a trembling hand on the wood and lowered her head, taking a deep breath. She'd made it this far; there was no turning back. She inched forward and rested her forehead against the door, listening intently for any sounds – hushed voices, rustling, a dropped dish, anything. Hearing none, she knocked gently and waited patiently for some indication of life inside.

Nothing.

She knocked again, with a little more force, but still heard nothing.

Taking another deep breath, she placed the key in the lock and turned slowly. Inside she could find all her answers. With her heart heavy, heartbeat racing, she opened the door and called his name. No answer. She flipped on the nearby light switch.

Nothing.

The villa hadn't been touched in some time. The sun shone through the large lattice window to the left of the entrance, reflecting its shape on the floor in front of the folding screen. In the light, Tifa could see dust particles dancing and floating, only visible where the sun cast its gaze. She looked around and started moving forward, noticing a film of undisturbed dust covering everything like some protective layer to preserve her memories.

The bedroom door was open and she could already tell it was empty, but she entered anyway, running her finger tips over the top of the dresser and allowing the trails to serve as a marker that she was here. Nothing had been disturbed for quite some time. Even if Cloud had come here after he left Edge, he was long gone. There was no way he could have been here after their talk in The Forgotten Capital.

Tifa walked around to the far end of the bed nearest the back wall and sat down to process what she had just discovered – or not discovered.

* * *

Tifa would be alone, in a _villa_ , in a _resort town_ , with a _bed_. Reno considered his various excuse options to get away from Barret and Marlene, who were now building a sandcastle near their towels, and make his way to Tifa. He shot each one down as being too lame or obvious. Barret already seemed suspicious. What would he think if Reno left the beach shortly after Tifa? Would he think they were having secret romantic getaways? Or that Reno was up to no good? Probably the latter, and the redheaded Turk did not want to cause a ruckus today. Today was all about getting Tifa to think his intentions were above board.

Oh, but there was one way to get away from the eco-terrorist and his daughter.

Reno took out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and brought his lighter up to the tip.

"Hey!" Barret growled. "You can't smoke on the beach!"

"I thought anything goes in Costa del Sol," Reno mused.

"Take it somewhere else!" Barret commanded.

Reno shrugged and stood up to walk off the sand and back toward town, with some uppity beachgoers complaining about the smoke as he did.

Mission accomplished.

Reno knew from experience that sandcastles took infinitely less time to destroy than to build. If Barret and the little girl were going to make something photo worthy, they would be occupied for a while – and Marlene had demanded many accoutrements.

Reno finished his cigarette by the time he reached the villa door. He hadn't had to watch where Tifa went, _everyone_ knew about the Shinra villa. Or, he guessed, it was now the AVALANCHE villa. Ugh.

He considered for a brief moment what would happen if that Cloud guy _was_ in the villa. Tifa might go running into his arms, but if he were here, it meant the bastard really did skip out on her. That could certainly open a door for Reno, but he didn't really want to win his prize by being the rebound guy. That was too easy. He also at that point considered how much Tifa would be hurt if she did turn to a Turk only to get immediately crushed again. That's right, he considered her _feelings_. He shuddered before placing his hand on the door handle and turning.

He had to admit, the place was choice. Decently sized for Costa del Sol, but big enough for a couple people to spend a vacation or live, if they really wanted to. He didn't spend too much time looking around before he noticed Tifa through the bedroom doorway. She was sitting solemnly on the far bed facing the wall, her back to him. The heavy smell of the beachfront mixed with sunscreen filled his nostrils, with just a ghostly reminder of the floral scent of Tifa's hair. She didn't seem to flinch when he entered, as if she either knew who was coming in (and didn't care) or hadn't even heard the door.

As he walked toward her, he could see that she was fidgeting with her hands in her lap and though he suspected she was upset, he didn't see her shoulders rising and falling with the telltale signs of crying.

A perfect opportunity.

He quietly rounded the bed and sat next to her. She let out the soft laugh of someone who was trying to force back tears. Reno knew by now that it would be okay to put an arm around her shoulders, so he did so. She rewarded him by leaning her head against him.

"He's not here," she said, almost to herself.

Reno didn't have to ask who "he" was but knew he had to suck it up to move her along.

"I'm sorry," he said, and he sounded sincere. He could act when he needed to.

"I'm happy," she said.

Now Reno was confused, by all outward appearances she was trying not to cry after seeing someone run over her puppy.

"You don't look happy," he said.

There was that little laugh again.

"I know," she said. "I'm sad because of what happened, but I'm happy that he's not here."

"Why does that make you happy?" he had to ask.

"Because it means he didn't ditch me to chase loose women on the beach," she said with a snicker to cheer herself up.

"Hey now," Reno said. "Let's not go knocking the chasing of loose women on the beach."

She guffawed at his comment, not meaning to sound so unladylike.

"I guess I kind of hoped I'd find him here though," she said after a brief silence. "I think it would be easier if I could just hate him."

"You need advice on how to hate Strife?" Reno's eyes lit up and he removed his arm from Tifa's shoulders. "Well, you came to the right place. First, find a doll that looks like him – and then choke it _real hard_." He mimicked choking something as he spoke.

Tifa chuckled and put a hand on his shoulder to stop his dramatic recreation.

"I don't actually want to hate him," she said.

She turned to look at the wall again and Reno relaxed, leaning back on his hands while waiting for her to speak.

"Sometimes I just feel so alone," she said, returning to her pensive state.

Reno didn't accept that one bit. He pushed himself back into a sitting position and grabbed each of her upper arms, turning her to face him. She kept her head lowered, so he took his index finger and hooked it under her chin to gently lift her head until she was looking into his eyes, which were wide and earnest. It reminded her of how Cloud did the same thing when they confessed their love for each other under the Highwind.

"Hey, don't you say that, yo," Reno began. "If there's one thing in this whole world you ain't, Lockhart, it's alone."

His words comforted her a little, even if they were clumsy. She smiled at him, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"You got Barret and his little girl, all your other terrorist friends (he couldn't help himself), and uh, the Turks now," he added.

Tifa blinked. "Thank you," she said as her eyes offered a hint of acceptance.

Reno wasn't sure if he should keep going. He still wasn't used to this, even if he had comforted her before. He'd been there for distraught Turks before – mainly Elena – but that was different. Usually he would just tell her to buck up and get back to work but he knew he couldn't take that tactic with Tifa. Instead, he reached forward and gently wrapped his arms around her. She leaned toward him and rested her head on his chest with her arms around his waist.

Damn it felt good to hold her.

Her chest was pressed against his, with just a thin piece of bathing suit material between them. Reno kept quiet but tried to think how he could move from this position to one more favorable. He scrunched his eyes to remove the thought. He had to be a gentleman here. But his hands were so close to the knot on her bikini…

"Reno?" she asked, as if she were about to scold him. _Could she read his mind?_

"Yes, babe?"

"Why did you bring us here?"

"Marlene said the beach, so she got the beach."

"No, I mean, why did you offer her the helicopter ride?"

Reno pulled away from her and scratched the back of his head.

"Ah, well, I hadn't been in the chopper for a while, and" he stammered, "it's actually my favorite thing in the world…"

"Really?" she asked in equal parts innocence and surprise. "Even more than booze and loose women?"

Now this was a more comfortable conversation for him.

"It's actually a pretty big gap," he told her. "That chopper is my _baby_ , booze and cheap women don't hold a candle to _her_."

"Really? I never would have guessed."

"Yeah, well, there's still a lot you don't know about me," he said, suddenly noticing how close her face was to his own.

"Oh yeah?" she said, her voice breathy though she didn't intend it to be.

"Yeah."

"Like those dancing skills you seem so proud of?"

"That, and other things…" he trailed off.

Their eyes met and he noticed the sadness in hers had been replaced with mirth; ruby orbs wide and quivering while studying his expression. He wanted to kiss her, but knew how vulnerable she was at this moment. She could push him away or easily regret it, or she could let him kiss her just because she was missing Strife. But her lips looked _so_ inviting.

Their faces inched closer until he couldn't take it any longer and went in to claim her lips, placing a hand behind her head to lock her close. She reciprocated, leaning forward so that he could wrap his other arm around her back and pull her against him. He held her tighter than he had at the Shinra mansion or in her bar. Back then, he was just trying to comfort her; this time, he was playing for keeps.

If she was at the point where she wished she could hate Cloud, he reasoned, she was at the point where she wanted to move on. And he wasn't wrong. Cloud was always going to be a part of her life, whether he was physically here or not. Reno had to accept that he couldn't undo their relationship, but he could move her forward – and she appeared ready.

He deepened the kiss as she reached up to place one hand on the smooth skin of his neck, underneath his ponytail, and the other just above his hairline, winding her fingers through his crimson locks. He moaned into her mouth as she tugged gently at his roots, before slipping his tongue between her lips.

Reno wasn't sure whether he lowered her or whether she pulled him down, but she slowly ended up on her back on the bed, her legs still hanging off the edge as she had been sitting. Reno ensured no daylight passed between them as she laid back, enjoying the feel of her breasts rubbing against his bare chest. She bit his lower lip and he purred.

He wanted her. Gods did he want her. He wanted every inch of her, and his body was getting dangerously close to proving that to her. All that lay between them was his pants and the thin material of her bikini. The fact did not escape his mind, even if he knew this was not the time to fulfill that dream.

He let one of his hands leave her cheek where it had rested and brush along her shoulder and down her arm until he reached her waist near her new scar. With a return nip to her lower lip, he released her tongue and trailed kisses to her earlobe, lingering there for a moment as he nibbled. She melted into him, moaning softly as he lightly kissed his way to her neck before taking a bit of her delicate skin between his teeth. She cooed and her nails dug into his tresses, pleasantly scratching his scalp.

He couldn't believe she was allowing this and he kept preparing himself for her to push him off and start yelling. Tifa Lockhart couldn't possibly be allowing Reno of the Turks to suck on her neck or even be alone with her on a bed in a beach villa. He half expected to wake up from another dream, cold and alone in his large, empty bed.

But no dream could compare to the soft flesh beneath his fingertips or the heat emanating from her body. His head told him not to push his luck, his heart told him to stay as he was, but some other part of him told him to keep going. The hand at her waist began to slide upward along her ribcage, his fingers tapping against her gently as they crawled forward.

He reached the underside of her breast and dared himself to go for it. With any other woman he wouldn't have hesitated for a second, but Tifa was not like any other woman, and he was pretty sure he had somehow sold his soul just to get this far with her. Well, if he ever had a soul, that is.

One finger reached out to lightly poke her breast to test the waters. When no scold came, he slipped his palm up and over her breast before giving it a squeeze. She moaned in approval and he thought he could have a heart attack.

Two years ago he tried to murder this woman from a helicopter. She returned the gesture by viciously beating him to a pulp – and it turned him on. Now he had her tit in his hand as she writhed beneath him. When had his luck turned?

His thumb teased her nipple through her bikini as his lips returned to hers. Emboldened, she trapped his tongue between her teeth and sucked on it. He nearly came undone right then and there, his eyes rolling back into his head as a moan escaped him. He tried to say "fuck," but it was muffled.

The hand on her breast lowered once again to the edge of her bikini. He pressed into her skin gently to get the tip of his fingers underneath the material and began to move forward once again.

This proved to be the line, as Tifa moaned in such a way to let him know he had gone too far. She sat up, forcing him to sit back off of her on the bed. She did not push him, and she did not look angry. Far from it; she looked embarrassed. Not the kind of embarrassed he would have expected, like she had realized who she was letting touch her and suddenly couldn't believe herself, but the kind of embarrassed one would see from someone who was self-conscious.

Reno couldn't imagine what in the world Tifa Lockhart would have to be self-conscious about, especially in her chest area. He'd felt them; they were real. Why was over the bikini okay but underneath was the end?

"Did I go too far?" he asked, equal parts concerned and frustrated.

"No…" she looked at her lap, avoiding eye contact. "It's not your fault, but we should get back before Barret gets suspicious."

"You worried he'll think you're off screwin' around with the enemy?" he chuckled, testing to see how badly he had screwed up.

"No!" she insisted. "Well, maybe."

"Let him think! It'll do the big lunkhead some good."

"Reno…"

"Hey, you know what will cheer you up? Let's go play some of those boardwalk games. I'm a champion ring tosser."

"Oh, really?" Tifa asked skeptically, the weight of their previous actions seemingly lifted.

"Yep, woulda gone pro but sprained my thumb before tryouts."

Tifa loved how easy it was for Reno to make her laugh even when she was feeling blue. And truth be told, she loved carnival games but didn't get to partake very often. It'd be fun to do something other than work and fight monsters for a change.

"Okay, show me your skills," she challenged.

"You're on, Lockhart."

Reno offered her a hand to help her to her feet and she accepted.

"After you, my dear," he motioned for her to take the narrow space between the bed and the wall out of the bedroom. He watched her ass as she walked toward the front door and had to run to catch up to her once she reached it, lest she discover his lechery.

She put her hat and sunglasses back on before opening the door just a little to peer out and check for any prying eyes. There weren't many people in the town as they were mostly on the beach, so she stepped out and waited for Reno before locking up.

The Turk hadn't _totally_ lied about his ring tossing skills, as evidenced by the large plush chocobo Tifa carried back to their area on the beach.

"Where you two been?" Barret said with narrowed eyes.

Tifa hoped her flushed cheeks weren't noticeable.

"Cloud wasn't in the villa so I left," she said. It was the truth, just not the whole truth. "Found Reno playing carnival games. Here Marlene, he won this for you."

Reno counted the lies and omissions in her statement. He was definitely corrupting her already.

Marlene took the chocobo excitedly and hugged it to her chest, then took Tifa by the hand and dragged her toward the sandcastle she had built with Barret.

"Do you see my sandcastle? Daddy helped me build it," she said.

"That's beautiful, sweetheart," Tifa again used that mock-excited tone. "Fit for a princess."

"Daddy, I want to go swimming again!" Marlene demanded.

"Okay, but this is the last time today," Barret compromised.

He took the little girl by the hand and gave one last look over Reno and Tifa. His eyes lingered on a mark on Tifa's neck that hadn't been there before. He wanted to say something, rather, he wanted to grab Tifa by the shoulders and yell at her that she was crazy, that whatever was going on here was a horrible idea. It was one thing for Reno to have a crush on Tifa, it was quite another for Tifa to actually accept the Turk.

Cloud must have seriously broken her. Tifa was way too smart and strong to be slumming like this. Just what the hell was she thinking?

He opened his mouth to speak but felt Marlene begin to tug his hand a bit harder. He'd have to talk to Tifa later.

When they were gone, Tifa again removed her hat and sunglasses before laying down on her towel with her chest to the ground in order to tan her back.

"So, when you do that, do you have to make divots in the ground for your tits?" Reno asked.

Though he was clearly messing with her, he did kind of want to know. Those things had to be painful in some situations, right?

"You're pushing it today, Reno," was all she said, though she didn't sound mad.

"Okay, okay, last question: do you undo the strings to your top when you tan?"

"I might if lecherous Turks weren't around," she said, without looking at him.

She must truly be able to read his mind.

Barret and Marlene returned about 20 minutes later to rest. Within the hour, the group was ready to call it a day.

Reno flew them back with Marlene insisting on sitting in the co-pilot's seat. She had decided she wanted to learn how to fly the helicopter, so Reno was giving her a very basic tutorial. Barret, of course, was watching from the main seating area horrified, convinced that Turk bastard would hand over the controls to a six-year-old without thinking.

But Reno did not hand over the controls, and set the chopper down outside Edge just where he had picked them up. He turned off the engine to help Marlene out to rejoin her father. The whirl of the engine and the dust kicked up by the vehicle was at least useful enough to scare away some of the monsters that were patrolling the area, even if it did mean choking back dirt. Reno waved farewell after informing them he would spend the rest of the day cleaning out the sand and sea water they had all left behind in _his baby_.

Tifa rolled her eyes when he said it and turned to walk back to the ladder onto the Edge rooftops with Barret and Marlene.

They had just gotten inside Seventh Heaven when the expected text from Reno came.

"Had fun today, yo," it said, "even if it didn't involve booze or sex."

Tifa giggled to herself and shook her head. She helped Marlene draw a bath and get ready before deciding that she would actually respond to Reno.

"But you had your favorite thing. The helicopter," she replied.

"What's going on with you two?" Barret said in an accusatory tone. She had been standing in the kitchen when she sent the text and he had just entered.

He and Marlene were going to make the long journey back to Corel in the morning. Barret had a fortified truck he called "The Tank," that could withstand monster attacks, but it wasn't foolproof. The sunroof allowed him to fire at weaker monsters or toss grenades at stronger ones before speeding away.

"What are you talking about?" Tifa asked, setting her PHS on the counter behind her and turning to face Barret.

"You know DAMN well what I'm talking about!" the former leader of AVALANCHE raised his voice, pounding his fist on the kitchen island. Tifa crossed her arms over her chest and remained defiant. "What's that on your neck?" Barret asked accusatorially.

Tifa had noticed the beginning signs of a hickey as soon as they got back to Seventh Heaven. She had been mortified and let her hair down over her shoulders to try and cover it. She knew Barret must have seen it. Hell, the whole _world_ must have seen it. She could only pray he wouldn't say anything. Apparently, the Gods were not listening today – to her at least.

"It's nothing," she said like when she was a teenager and Marle would ask her about the bruises she had gotten from fighting doomrats and gorgers with the Neighborhood Watch.

"What is going on Tifa? Talk to me," Barret's tone shifted. He wasn't going to get anywhere by yelling at her and whatever was going on seemed like a cry for help. "Is this because of Cloud?"

Tifa shot him a look that could have melted the skin off a bomb.

"Cloud is _gone_ , Barret. He left me six months ago," the anger in her voice surprised even her.

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes and threatened to spill, but she held them back with defiant resolve.

"What happened?" Barret asked, keeping his softer tone.

"He left, and I thought it was just because his headaches came back and he was having nightmares, but he said it wasn't just that…" she let her arms fall to her sides and she clenched her fists so tightly they shook, her fingernails carving half-moon shapes into her palms.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"I didn't want anyone to know. I told Vincent and Yuffie. I'm pretty sure Cid knows, but please don't tell anyone else."

"I won't, but Tifa," Barret stepped forward to reach a cautious hand toward her shoulder, "you'll talk to me if somethin's wrong, right?"

Tifa nodded her head but said nothing.

"Is something wrong now?" Barret pressed.

"No!" Tifa insisted. "Barret, I'm not a teenager anymore, I can take care of myself."

Of course, there was no way she could have said the words without _sounding_ like a teenager.

"I trust you, Tifa, but I don't trust _him_."

"Even after today?"

"One day can't make up for Sector 7."

Tifa bit her lower lip. He was right, but it hadn't been just one day for _her_. Reno and the other Turks had been there for her over the past few months.

"I know, but he's trying."

"Tifa…"

"Please, Barret. I don't want to talk about it. Can you promise me you won't tell anyone about this?"

"Tifa…"

"Promise me!"

Barret knew how Tifa felt about promises, so for her to ask him to make one must have meant whatever was happening here was serious. He didn't approve, but he couldn't run her life. He would be there for her when it all fell apart though, and he knew it would. Defeated, he slumped his shoulders and sighed.

"…okay. Just, please be careful, okay? Don't go gettin' reckless just cuz you're hurtin'."

"Barret, I'm fine. I've actually managed to laugh these past few months."

Barret shook his head. He knew he wouldn't convince her tonight, and he was exhausted and filthy from the beach. He'd just have to hope she came to her senses before everything when to shit.

"I believe you," he lied. "I'mma go get cleaned up and say goodnight to Marlene."

Tifa watched him walk down the hall as the bathroom door opened, indicating Marlene was finished with her bath. Tifa thought about what Barret had said for a few seconds until her phone vibrated on the counter next to her. Whatever hesitation had entered her mind was just settling in when she read the next text from Reno.

"I guess one out of three ain't bad. Could have used one of the other two tho."

With her bathroom free, Tifa showered, taking extra time to scrub the sand from her body and getting lost in her newfound indecision. Everything with Reno had felt so right at the villa. For a brief moment, she felt further from her feelings for Cloud and like she could move on. Reno had been the one making her laugh all this time, and even though he clearly didn't understand boundaries, it seemed like he was trying – or maybe Tifa was reading too much into his actions. These thoughts were still swirling in her head once she realized she had gotten all the sand off.

She stepped out of the shower and dressed for bed before cleaning up the sand from her home and bar and throwing everyone's wet and dirty clothes into the laundry. With that done, she took out her phone and caught herself smiling as she reread Reno's last text.

"Okay, next time I'll buy you a drink," she said, knowing it would drive him crazy.

An immediate response.

"YOU'RE NO FUN LOCKHART."


	21. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Babe, you coulda been a Turk if ya hadn't gone all eco-terrorist." - Reno.

"Reno," the wild-haired Turk heard Tseng say from inside his office.

Again, Tseng's tone conveyed neither anger nor encouragement. Of course, the pit in Reno's stomach had an idea about why Tseng may be calling him into his office. It wasn't like Reno had a clear conscience, but he strolled into Tseng's office as if he did.

"What's up, boss?" he said with a certain level of confidence.

"Have a nice time this weekend?" Tseng asked.

It was a question Tseng had _never_ asked before. He never found it useful to discuss what happened in the private lives of his subordinates, but that didn't mean he didn't _know_ what they did outside of work. Tseng was a careful man, but he was also Rufus' right-hand adviser now that Heidegger and Scarlet were dead. Rufus had never quite cared for Reeve, and the former toy-cat operator was too busy building Edge to be very helpful for Rufus anyway.

Having the leader of the Turks as a right-hand man allowed Rufus to keep tabs on all his employees and any suspicious, anti-Shinra activity in the world, since the organization was spread throughout various key cities. In order to accomplish this, however, Tseng needed to know what all his underlings were up to at any given moment, so unbeknownst to them, he had his own separate sources to keep an eye on whether they were up to anything seedy that might come back to haunt Shinra. He didn't relish this part of his job, but he wanted to get ahead of any issues before Rufus might learn about them, as Tseng was pretty sure the president had his own separate spies beyond the Turks.

No one trusted anyone.

Reno's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"…Yes sir?" he offered, warily.

"Good," Tseng said, lowering his gaze back to his work. "That's all."

Reno blinked a few times before moving, unsure whether he was really just called into his boss' office to be asked about his weekend. Tseng knew something. He was testing Reno. What else could Reno have said? Was his answer satisfactory or did he say something to make Tseng distrust him now?

He turned to leave but was stopped by Tseng's voice when he reached the door.

"Oh, and Reno," Tseng said.

Why did everyone wait until he was at the door to drop the hammer? "Make sure the chopper has enough fuel to fly to Junon tomorrow."

Again, Reno was unsure whether that was a normal command or an indication that Tseng knew about his weekend getaway with Tifa (and the other two). Reno was no fool, he figured Tseng must have known. but Tseng wasn't the type to come out and say anything and he wasn't the type to discipline someone for something so trivial (in Reno's mind). Reno figured this was Tseng's way of warning him to be more careful in the future;, at least that's how the redhead chose to interpret the interaction.

He left Tseng's office and glanced at Rude, who was eyeing him from behind his sunglasses. It would surprise no one to know that Reno couldn't tan, so his appearance at work looking even a little pink let Rude and Elena know something was up. The fair-skinned redhead avoided the sun like, well, Vincent Valentine. Reno knew Rude was starting to suspect things, and he knew he'd have to deal with that at some point, but that was _Future_ Reno's problem. Today he got to spend entirely with his chopper, which was – dare he think it – the next best thing to spending the day with Tifa.

He passed Elena as he walked with exaggerated swagger out the Turks' office to make his way to the helipad on the roof. He had spent Sunday evening thoroughly cleaning the chopper of any sand or saltwater and Tifa's hair. He enjoyed that woman and her long tresses, but goddamn it that hair got _everywhere_. He found some wrapped around one of the levers on the control panel of the chopper. How the hell did that even happen? Tifa was only mildly leaning over the seats for a few seconds. And she had her hair up in a messy bun. _And_ it was under a hat.

But he got it all cleaned up – and refueled on the off chance someone at Shinra was checking the tank every morning. Of course, Tseng may not have known Reno took care of all this yesterday, so the redhead felt he could get away with fiddling around with the helicopter until it was time to go on one last patrol.

He had spent the other week avoiding Tifa for a specific purpose, and he felt he achieved a few points during the Costa del Sol flight, even if he did go too far on the heavy petting. Though she actually texted him back a few times after the trip, something she had never done before. Progress.

Now he was considering telling her about being out of town. It'd be a leap for him, and it was taking a chance – maybe she wouldn't care that he was going out of town for an indefinite amount of time. She hadn't actually given any indication to him that she missed him prior to getting shot.

Shit, what if she didn't?

Eh, that hadn't stopped him from sending her texts before as if he knew about her feelings. Maybe this time he should tell her where he was going to be, especially since he didn't know when he'd be back and the last time he left her alone for a few days she nearly got killed. Still, letting her miss him after another pleasant encounter might just seal his place in her… heart.

Even though he had cleaned the interior of the helicopter the evening before, he still found more evidence of his excursion. He may have been able to pass off Tifa's long ebony hair as Tseng's, but his boss hadn't been in the chopper in a while, and for some reason the Wutaian didn't seem to shed like everyone else Reno knew with long hair. The redhead took his time, since he didn't want to be sitting around doing nothing with the rest of his comrades downstairs.

He was rinsing off the exterior of the helicopter after giving it a thorough outer wash – another one just to be safe – when the other Turks arrived to retrieve him for their patrol.

Knowing this would be his last patrol for a while made the whole episode so much less daunting, though the three were sick of it all by the time they reached Seventh Heaven. Ringmaws, grashtrikes, and even a few blugus gave them a workout, but all fell in the end by the three Turks determined to drink.

They took their usual seats at the bar and quietly sipped their first beverages as they calmed down from their battles and pondered the potential boredom they faced in Junon.

Tifa tried her best to hide flushed cheeks whenever her glance caught Reno's, but the Turk's smirk made her heart race. The physical response contradicted the torture she'd put herself through all day, ever since Barret and Marlene left that morning.

* * *

_"I'm only gonna say this one more time," Barret said with a heavy sigh; neither angry nor demanding. They were standing in the garage next to Seventh Heaven where Barret had parked his truck. He had just closed the passenger-side door to secure Marlene inside when he turned back to Tifa. "Be careful."_

_"I know, Barrett," Tifa responded, trying not to let her irritation show. Barret was getting ahead of himself. "Thank you for worrying about me."_

_"Strife loves you, Tifa," Barret's words cut through her heart like a knife, physically painful to hear. Cloud had given no indication of this love for a year and he broke her heart… several times. "His stuff is still here. He's coming back."_

_Tifa turned her face and clenched her teeth. Her hands balled into fists as she bit back her immediate reaction. Barret was as well-meaning as they came, but his words felt like a slap in the face. Was she supposed to just sit around waiting for Cloud because it was convenient for AVALANCHE? She swallowed her tensions and released her breath._

_"He left me, Barret. I'm not going to spend my life waiting for him to come back," she said with measured calm. "We don't know when – or if – that will ever happen."_

_"I know, I'm sorry, I just meant that…" his voice trailed off. He slumped his shoulders and walked around the truck to the driver's side door, pausing with his hand on the handle. "I just want you to be happy, Tifa."_

_"I am, Barret," Tifa said with a receptive smile as Barret nodded and entered the vehicle._

_He and Marlene waved (Marlene more enthusiastically) as they pulled out of the driveway and turned toward the road that would take them out of Edge._

_Tifa let out a heavy sigh when they left, instantly feeling the crushing loneliness that had so often invaded her thoughts over the past year. As obstinate as Barret's words made her feel, she couldn't help tat least considering them. Cloud hadn't moved out; he hadn't taken all his things. And really, he'd only been physically gone six months. That wasn't_ that _long, was it?_

_But Reno reminded her what it felt like to be wanted, even if she still didn't think he was capable of love. He made her smile when all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry, and he kept putting up with her depression over Cloud. Could he really just be doing all this to get into her pants?_

* * *

Rude noticed the slightest of smirks cross Tifa's lips once when she caught Reno's gaze. Her skin was no longer so pale, showing a slight tan and pink cheeks that hadn't been there the week before. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses, trying not to connect her tan and Reno's own pink hue. His best friend wouldn't do this to him; all those little puzzle pieces he had been putting together over the past few months were just the result of his own insecurities, he continued to tell himself. Besides, Elena hadn't said anything, and she _loved_ to let everyone know what she suspected about people.

Reno acted like any other night: He made small talk, checked out other women in the bar, and complained about sitting around in Junon listening to science talk.

What Rude didn't see was the gears in Reno's head turning, plotting how he could get Tifa alone. Having failed the entire night, the redhead shifted off his barstool along with his colleagues to procure payment for their bar tabs. He opened his wallet and removed enough gil to cover his tab and just a few gil extra for a tip. He moved to return his wallet to his back left pants pocket but casually let the thin, nondescript leather item plop to the ground, the sound muffled by the shuffling of patrons as they made for the exit.

He soon joined Rude and Elena outside as the three climbed the ladder next door to begin their treks home. The rooftop pathways would make it harder for him to slip back to Tifa's, since he couldn't simply hide around a building a block away until Rude and Elena were out of sight. His height and shocking red hair made him stick out in a crowd, so he waited until he was nearly back to his apartment building before slinking back to Seventh Heaven under the auspices of wallet retrieval.

He hopped down from the building next door instead of using the ladder, his feet landing on the sidewalk with a crackle as bits of cement scratched against concrete. He straightened up with a lopsided grin on his face and dusted his hands, strolling to the front door of Seventh Heaven with high expectations.

He quickly found the door locked and the lights turned off.

He assumed Tifa would still be closing up, since he was a fast walker and his building was 10 minutes from the bar. She either left the cleaning for later or finished quickly. He tried not to read too much into the change of pace so soon after their encounter in Costa del Sol, but he figured he would just have to head home.

As he approached the familiar ladder and gripped its lower rungs, however, a delicate sneeze caught his attention. He quickly looked around and found no one, but the sound didn't seem to come from the ground. His eyebrows knitted together and he looked toward the sky over Seventh Heaven. Was it possible?

He released the ladder and padded around the bar to his favorite alley in Edge. He couldn't see her, but he knew she couldn't be asleep already and the lights were off upstairs. He climbed atop the dumpsters with all the silence of a cat burglar and hopped up to the windowsill outside her bedroom. He hung from the wooden beam and hoisted himself up and onto the roof. No mere mortal would have been able to copy his moves.

* * *

Tifa leaned against the parapet and closed her eyes, her face turned up toward the stars. Too much light pollution kept her from seeing what she wanted tonight, but if she closed her eyes she could imagine the swirl of galaxies in Nibelheim. Clarity had not found her when she heard the scuffing of boots on the roof next to her, knowing instantly to whom they belonged.

"Still relying on Turk instincts?" she asked calmly, remaining as she had been before he scrambled up the side of her building. The picture of relaxed.

"You're lucky I'm not the enemy anymore, or you'd have a big problem on your hands right about now," he teased.

Tifa opened her eyes to find not the stars sparkling high above her but the grin of a redheaded Turk. He stood next to her, bending at the waist to hover his head over hers as he smiled at her with roguish charm.

"You think you were so quiet climbing up here? Please," she said, a smile flashing across her lips. "If you were really a threat I would have taken you out as soon as you touched the dumpsters."

"Babe, you coulda been a Turk if ya hadn't gone all eco-terrorist."

Tifa gave him a knowing glance for his comment.

"Come back for this?" she asked, suddenly producing his wallet from the pocket of her skirt and holding it up between two fingers just above her chest. "You should be more careful where you leave your personal belongings."

"Did ya look through it?" he asked, snatching the item from her grasp and sitting down next to her. He folded one knee and rested his elbow on it while extending the other one out alongside hers, skimming the material of her thigh-highs.

"Of course," she responded matter-of-factly.

"And?"

Tifa sat up straighter. "A few gil, your business card, and a receipt for a Sniper CR."

"Exactly," Reno said, smugly, though he was surprised she hadn't taken the extra gil to make up for the weak tip he left.

"A decoy?"

"My real Shinra badge is clipped to me and I only carry enough cash to cover a bar tab."

"And the receipt?"

"Lets the person who found it know who they're messing with."

"I did think it was a little light for a Turk wallet," Tifa said, looking back up at the only star she could see.

"Lost my real one once back when I was a rookie," Reno confessed. "Had an entire paycheck and an old fake I.D. in it. Punk thought he could take on the Red Li—" he cut himself off.

"The Red what?"

"Heh, nothin'. So, have fun yesterday?"

"You know... I did," Tifa said as if she were surprised by the admission. She would shelve his little backstory tidbit in the back of her mind, for now.

"Good," Reno said as he moved a hand to her chin and directed her face toward his.

He leaned forward to kiss her; not aggressively, but far from tender. Tifa assumed this style of his was learned over years of kissing women ahead of sex. And it certainly worked.

She was instantly caught up in his charms, crashing into him like a lovesick teenager being kissed for the first time. Her hands found his neck as they had the day before and she tugged at his ponytail. He growled suggestively and bit her lower lip before thrusting his tongue into her awaiting mouth.

She felt her inhibitions lower with each flick of his tongue, and she had to keep reminding herself that she was _not_ one of the girls he usually went after, even if she could now see how easy it was for him to pick up women. If she didn't stop this soon, she'd get swept away by her hormones.

Reno wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close as they sat atop the Seventh Heaven roof, under the wayward stars. His other hand slowly slid from her neck up to her cheek, where he curled some of her tresses around his fingers. He kept the other at the small of her back, letting his fingertips sink beneath the waistband of her skirt. He didn't move his hand lower yet, allowing himself to get caught up in the possibilities.

And then they were crushed.

Tifa pulled away gently and bit her lower lip as his hand still tangled in her hair and cupped her cheek. The sparkle in her eyes had dulled and Reno felt a pit in his stomach, the kind of feeling he got when he knew a mission was about to go horribly wrong.

"I can't do this," she said, all emotion suddenly leaving her voice.

"Do what?" he asked, fearing the answer as the pit continued to grow.

"Whatever you're trying to do," she responded, pulling away from him and bringing her knees up to her chin. "I've only ever loved one man my entire life." She looked straight forward, beyond the rooftop but at nothing in particular. "The thought of opening myself up again, even a little, it's…"

Reno shuffled to sit next to her and propped an arm up on his knee again, looking in the same direction as Tifa.

"I get it," he said, exhaling.

Tifa blinked and turned her head to look at him. Had Reno been in love before? She'd never imagined it was possible, given his promiscuity. But now that she _was_ thinking about it, it would make sense as to why he was this way.

"You do?" she asked, eyes wide and wondering if she'd hear the story.

Reno glanced at her briefly, noting how expectant she appeared. He turned back to look straight ahead.

"More than you know," he said with a heavy sigh, looking up at the sky

Now Tifa was curious, like she'd just found a lost puppy she was quietly trying to approach. Maybe she really did want a lost soul to save, as Reno had suggested weeks ago. She twisted toward him and leaned forward, closing the distance between them and supporting herself on her arms. He avoided her gaze, though it proved difficult.

Only two living people in the world other than Reno knew the story, and it had been easy for him to keep it to himself the past decade. She wouldn't crack him, no matter how pretty she was. Slowly, hesitantly, like she was reaching toward that aforementioned puppy, Tifa placed a hand on Reno's cheek for comfort. He settled into the warmth of her hand, closing his eyes and relishing the sympathy before reminding himself that he didn't need nor deserve such support.

His head tilted into her hand and he opened his eyes to look at her.

"You don't have to tell me, but if you ever want to, I'm here," she said, eyes full of genuine concern.

He smirked.

"Don't hold your breath," he said, giving her a coy smile, "but thanks."

They remained with their lips just inches apart for what felt like an eternity, before Tifa's cheeks reddened and she had to look away, removing her hand from his cheek as well. A lopsided grin appeared on Reno's face before quickly fading. Something had happened to make her pull away, something more than just fear.

"So, what'd Wallace say?" he asked.

"How'd you know?" Reno stared at her through heavy-lidded eyes. "Right. Well, he said exactly what you'd expect."

"And you agree with him?"

"Not completely, but he brought up some good points."

Reno sat back against the parapet and groaned. He _knew_ Wallace would say something after their beach trip, he just thought Tifa wouldn't listen. She had spent the past six months getting to know the Turks, after all. Could Barret have really erased everything he had built?

"He just doesn't want me to get hurt," Tifa explained. "And neither do I. I can't take that again."

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm not lookin' to hurt ya," Reno said. He was surprised by the admission. He was surprised by the _sincerity_ of the admission. He was lying, wasn't he? Anything to get Tifa into bed, that was the goal, right? "Funny enough, I actually came here to tell ya I'm gonna be gone for a while, didn't want ya to think I skipped out again."

"Really?"

"Heh, yeah. No more playing games like before."

"Hmm," Tifa considered his response. Could she trust a Turk? This could all be a new game; lies upon lies.

Her heart twinged. She couldn't deny that when she was around Reno she found herself thinking less and less about Cloud. She hadn't even actually cried over the blond in a couple weeks – and she knew Reno was a big reason for that. He made her laugh and she somehow felt comfortable in his presence. He and the rest of his colleagues were definitely not the same people who chased AVALANCHE around the world two years ago, and Tifa was beginning to think they never really were. Maybe they were all just pawns in Shinra's games.

But Barret _had_ made some good points. Maybe Cloud _did_ plan to come back, but if he did, should she even take him back after what he'd said and done? Misguided as he was, Reno had been there for her more often than not these past few months.

Her head was a mess, yet Reno seemed to _know_ this and still keep coming back. Maybe she was at a point where she just needed to let go and see where things went. She'd keep her guard up, for sure, but she couldn't go on wallowing anymore. It had been six months. Cloud couldn't just walk through her front doors and think everything would go back to how it was last year. Barret wasn't always right.

"Where are you going?" she asked after a long pause.

"Junon. Rufus thinks the Shinra scientists there might have some answers about what's going on with the fiends," he spoke to her as if he were briefing his colleagues, a strange change of tone for the Turk. He turned to look at her again. "Like I said before, I'll let you know what I find out."

Tifa was surprised he remembered making the offer last month.

"How will Rufus feel about that?"

"Ain't you AVALANCHE people looking into this, too?" Reno asked. "Who says we can't make discoveries on our own?"

"Be careful," Tifa replied. Reno beamed.

"You know me, babe," he said, jabbing himself in the chest with his thumb, "I'm always careful."

He chuckled and stood up, again looming over her as she continued to sit on the rooftop. He offered her a hand and pulled her up, waiting until she brushed the dirt from her skirt to give her another cocky grin.

"It's getting late, and I'm on helicopter duty tomorrow," he said when she looked at him again. She nodded. "I'll let you know when I'm back."

Before she could say anything, he leaned forward to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. He knew she wasn't completely against the idea of him again – Wallace had just gotten into her head. He'd made it this far, and he was not one to back down from a challenge. She smiled softly as he removed his lips from her.

She watched as he disappeared effortlessly over the side of the building; a cat moving swiftly between the alley walls. Barret's words still spun in her mind, but she couldn't help smiling over her encounter with Reno.

She'd be cautious, but if nothing else, maybe she could get more information about the monster attacks.

* * *

For some reason Rufus demanded four bodyguards to accompany him on the trip to Junon. To talk to scientists. In a secured facility. Reno would have objected to the trip by saying that as second-in-command he should stay behind to hold down the fort, but he really didn't want to pass up a chance to fly his baby.

It made some sense to protect Rufus when he was recovering at Healen Lodge and was seriously weakened, but now it was just ostentatious. Then again, Rufus always had a flair for the dramatics.

Reno and his colleagues had been on the helipad with their bags for the past hour waiting for Rufus. Reno and Rude kept themselves busy with their pre-flight checks aboard the helicopter, while Elena tried to engage Tseng in conversation. The director, however, maintained his professional demeanor to be prepared for the president.

Rufus finally arrived on the roof with a couple attendants carrying his luggage. Reno helped the assistants secure the items and returned to the cockpit. Now he really _was_ someone's chauffeur.

They lifted off and were in Junon within an hour. The aircraft landed on the Shinra helipad at the Junon headquarters, where Rufus quickly disappeared into the building with a different set of assistants carrying his bags. Tseng lingered a moment to address Reno, Rude, and Elena.

"Don't get into any trouble," he said in his usual stern tone. "And see what you can dredge up about the monster situation. People around here are bound to have some theories."

With a wave of his hand, Tseng dismissed them and turned to follow Rufus. As soon as he was out of sight, Reno took command.

"So, bar?" he asked.

Rude nodded.

"Shouldn't we do as Tseng said?" Elena asked, like the teacher's pet she was.

"What better place to hear what the people are thinking than at a bar?" Reno replied. "You think we're just going to drink? Tch, 'Lena, you've still got so much to learn."

Elena rolled her eyes and looked to Rude for backup, as if that were even a possibility. Rude would always back up Reno over her.

"Fine," she pouted, prompting a grin from Reno.

"Off we go then," the redhead said.

* * *

Another cure spell had done the trick. Tifa's gunshot wound was completely healed with only a minor scar. No more pain when she stretched or twisted. She silently thanked Elena for forcing her to go to the hospital. She had plenty of scars on her body, which made her self-conscious even though the only man in her life who had ever seen her naked had more scars than she did.

With the Turks off in Junon, she found herself suddenly feeling lonely. Sure, Marle wasn't too far away, and neither were Wymer or Andrea, but her home was empty. She had gone from being alone to being surrounded by people to being alone again, and each time she was by herself now she started to feel some kind of crushing pressure in the air around her, like she was underwater struggling to reach the surface.

She couldn't keep going on like this. She had to get stronger. She needed to be okay with being alone. Or maybe she should invite Yuffie to visit for a while.

Yuffie had stayed with her and Cloud for a couple weeks after the bar and apartment were finished. She planned on staying longer, but two weeks was beyond Cloud's limit. Yuffie's immaturity never bothered Tifa, but her teasing – especially after Cloud had shown any affection toward Tifa – really grated on him. He started suggesting she leave after the first week. He was all but pushing her out the door by the end of the second.

Tifa now sat in her kitchen with a bunch of empty chairs. She had made sure the kitchen was big enough to fit an eight-person table, just in case everyone from AVALANCHE wanted to visit at the same time. That never happened, and so now she sat at the head of the table with nothing but memories to fill the other chairs. She sighed and took a sip of coffee, her legs crossed under the table and her hair still drying from her shower.

At least she wouldn't be alone once the bar was opened. Barret had considered staying an extra week to make sure there was no more trouble, but he needed to get Marlene back to school and as much as he knew Tifa wanted the company right now, he also knew she wouldn't appreciate being treated as though she couldn't take care of herself.

She sighed again and looked at the clock on the back of the stove. Yuffie was probably awake since it was still the night before in Wutai. Tifa pulled out her PHS and scrolled to her friend's number in her contacts list.

"Hey Tifa!" Yuffie said excitedly over what Tifa could tell was a large crowd in a noisy bar.

"Hey Yuffie, you busy?" Tifa asked as she traced the lines of wood grain in the table.

"No, let me just get outside," the younger woman said.

For a few moments Tifa heard people shouting and the muffled sounds of Yuffie pushing through a crowd before everything became quieter.

"Whew, that's better!" the young ninja said. "So, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing, sorry to bother you, sounds like you were at a party."

"Nah, just some lame bar trying to find a boyfriend. You okay?"

Tifa didn't want to ruin her friend's evening with her melancholy.

"Yeah, just lonely. Barret and Marlene left yesterday and the house is now empty…"

"So, Blondie _still_ hasn't come back?"

"…No."

"Honestly, Teef, I think it's time to let him go and find someone new," Yuffie took no pleasure in saying the words, but at this point she thought her friend needed to hear them. Yuffie adored Cloud and his relationship with Tifa, but it had been six months since he just upped and left and no one had seen or heard from him since. He didn't _want_ to be found at this point, and whatever his reason for leaving, it wouldn't be good enough for _her_ and it shouldn't be good enough for Tifa.

"I don't know," Tifa said, promising herself not to tell Yuffie about Reno.

"You don't have to do anything now, just keep it in the back of your mind," Yuffie offered. "Hey, how about this, why don't I come down in a few days and we'll go out and get so drunk we'll forget all about Spike."

Tifa chuckled softly.

"Okay Yuffie, that sounds good."

"Awesome, see you soon."

At least Tifa wouldn't be alone for much longer. Yuffie was a much better option than trying to deal with her loneliness cold turkey, she told herself.

* * *

The theater's construction was moving right along. The stage was nearly finished, and the audience seats had arrived. Tifa was helping the welders move the rows of seats into place when her phone started ringing. She excused herself and tried to find an area of the building that wasn't taken over by hammering, drilling, welding, or sawing.

She gave up and went outside, braving the streets. She stuck to the wall of the theater in the shade, hoping any monsters that went past would either ignore her (unlikely) or keep their distance because of the noise she was making on her phone.

"Sorry about that, Nanaki," she told her old friend. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, but the monster attacks are getting worse. Is Edge any better?"

"No, it's worse here too, but Reeve has been building up the police force to help take care of them and people are now traveling across the rooftops."

"Oh, that's good to hear," Nanaki said, a twinge of jealousy in his voice. "So, Tifa, I knew you said before you couldn't leave to help, and I was wondering if that was still the case?"

"I think I've been closing the bar a lot recently, but once more would probably be alright."

"Why have you been closing the bar so much?"

That Nananki, always wanting to know everything.

"I went with Vincent to Nibelheim to check the Shinra mansion for Hojo's old research to see if he had conducted any experiments on monsters using Jenova or the Lifestream…"

"Wait, hold on a second," Nanaki insisted. "Did you learn anything?"

"No, the Turks showed up and stole everything we thought might be promising."

"I see," Nanaki had known the Turks would revert to their usual antics at some point, even if they had been helping Tifa keep the monsters away.

"Nanaki?"

"Oh, yes, I was wondering if you could come here to help me look through the Elders' library. I've searched all the shelves I can reach, and the Elders are too feeble to assist me further."

"So, you're only asking me to help you reach?" Tifa joked.

"No, no! I was just hoping to see you again, it's been too long." And really, Tifa gave the best scritches, even if he didn't want to admit that he liked them.

"Well, Yuffie is coming in a few days, maybe we can both come help?"

"That'd be perfect, then we can search the other library."

"Other library?"

"Yes, it's buried in the canyon near the Cave of the Gi but it's too dangerous to go alone."

"I'm sure Yuffie would be up for a fight," Tifa giggled.

"Let me know when you're on your way – and be careful" the red beast warned.

"We will," Tifa promised before hanging up.

It was about time for her to be heading back to the bar anyway, now that the monster attacks were so prevalent. She used to be able to walk home from whatever building she was working on without a problem, then she would only encounter a fight maybe every few weeks, then once a week, then once a day. Now she practically had to fight her way back to her bar and take another shower before opening for the night. She could always take to the skywalks like everyone else in Edge, but she thought she could do her part to clean up the city by fighting when others couldn't. Besides, if people simply ignored the streets, the monsters could multiply and break capacity.

She was exhausted by the time she reached her bar that day. She used to have friends around to help her during battles, but now, every time she fought, she was reminded of how alone she was during the day.

The bar was crowded, filled with her regulars and new patrons wanting to show support for her after news had spread of the altercation over a week ago. The amount of customers kept her busy, keeping her from sinking into her thoughts from the days before.

She was just settling into bed when the text message came.

"So boring in Junon, you should come ;)"

He never failed to throw her off balance. He wasn't giving up, even after what she said. Either he really did like her or he considered her the ultimate notch on his bedpost. Tifa still wasn't sure which.

Yuffie wouldn't be in town until Friday. Even though she would just be alone a few days, she found the prospect crippling. She had never really been alone until the past few months and she had now decided she was not cut out for it. What's worse, she and Yuffie would have to travel through Junon to get to Cosmo Canyon. If she reached out to Reno, it might give him the idea that she was obtainable. If they happened to run into each other, it would look like she came running when he called.

No, the best option was to slip through unnoticed.

* * *

Yuffie blew into town like a hurricane. She screeched when Tifa opened the door, didn't stop talking (it didn't even look like she took a breath) for a full 45 minutes after walking inside, and distributed her belongings around the upstairs apartment as if she lived there. While Cloud would have been annoyed with her behavior, Tifa was happy to not be given a moment to slide back into her depressive thoughts.

Reno's words from Sunday still stuck with her. _If there is one thing in this whole world you ain't, Lockhart, it's alone_. The words were comforting, but whenever she found herself alone, she couldn't help but doubt what Reno said.

"…and then he was like, 'that'll be 5 gil,' and I was like, 'you asked me if I wanted a shot, why should I pay?' Ugh, boys," Yuffie was saying. Tifa just nodded her head and listened.

"So, enough about me, what's new with you?" the young ninja asked.

Tifa took a sip of coffee, considering whether to let Yuffie know the truth about what she had been up to.

"Not much," she decided the less she said, the better. "Just working the bar, helping Marle with the orphanage, and building the theater."

"How's that coming?"

"Really well. The stage is just about finished and we put in the audience seats this week. We pretty much just have to build the backstage area and the lobby and we'll be done."

"Oooo I can't wait to come see a play!" Yuffie enthused. "Do you think they'll get Loveless?"

"Maybe. I hope so."

"So, what else?"

"I got shot."

"WHAT?" the young ninja exclaimed so loud Tifa thought her ears might be ringing. "WHEN?"

"A couple weeks ago. Some patrons got into an argument and pulled guns. One accidentally went off and hit me."

"Where?"

"Here," Tifa pointed to her abdomen, which no longer showed any sign of injury. Yuffie had to look close to even see the scar.

"Wow, isn't materia great?"

"Yeah. It helped a lot. That, and the Turks took me to the hospital."

"Wait, _what_?" Yuffie nearly screamed again. "You've been hanging out with the _Turks_?"

"Well, not exactly. They were here just before the gun went off. Elena shot the guy and called an ambulance. They took me home from the hospital, too."

"All of them?"

"Elena, Rude, and Reno."

"I can't imagine any of them helping one of us," Yuffie said, laughing.

"I was surprised as well," Tifa added.

Yuffie started side-eyeing her skeptically. The Turks wouldn't just help AVALANCHE out of the blue. The gears started turning in the young girl's head. Something was going on here that she hadn't been told about. The last thing she'd heard from Tifa about the Turks was months ago, when the bartender told her how those Shinra lackeys had been helping fight monsters in Edge. Tifa had said then that the Turks seemed different than they were two years ago, but Yuffie never considered the possibility that her friend was _actually_ warming up to them.

"So, they just helped you out of the blue, just like that?" Yuffie began her interrogation.

"Well, they've been helping me with the monster attacks for a while now…" Tifa almost muttered, worried she would give herself away.

"So, what, you're friends with the _Turks_ now?"

"I wouldn't say friends, but we are on friendly terms," Tifa was now praying Yuffie would stop digging.

"Hmmm… didn't one of them like you?"

Apparently Yuffie wasn't going to let up. Tifa mentally prepared herself to answer questions very carefully. Yuffie couldn't find out about her and Reno. _No one_ could find out. _She_ didn't even want to know about her and Reno.

"Rude." _Please don't ask any more questions. Please don't ask any more questions._

"Well, you're single now, have you thought about it?"

"I don't feel… single…" Tifa didn't want to admit it out loud, even though she let that be her excuse for anything that went on between her and Reno. She certainly couldn't tell Yuffie about her date with Rude and wouldn't even bring up Reno's name.

"You didn't say you didn't think about it."

"Hey, Yuffie, we should get ready to go to Cosmo Canyon." It was time to just bluntly change the topic and hope Yuffie wouldn't readdress the conversation.

"Oh yeah! We can talk on the way!"

Great.

Tifa pulled open a large wooden door behind the bar near the back alley with the dumpsters. The smell of grime and oil filled the air as a cloud of dust cleared in the wind generated by the door. The two women coughed and swatted at the air in front of their faces before peering into the garage. Until Barret had visited, the garage had been as abandoned as the Costa del Sol villa. The streets were so littered with monsters she couldn't really drive the truck Cloud had bought her after the bar was built.

"Oh GAWD it's gorgeous!" Yuffie said, overlooking the coat of dust that had taken to the shiny red paint exterior of the vehicle.

It resembled the truck Tifa stole from Shinra headquarters two years ago: Three wheels, two in the front, and a cab that held just two people. When Cloud first bought it for her, the two used it to get supplies for the bar, but now she feared monsters would destroy one of her most prized possessions – or scratch it.

Candy apple red. She had wanted the brightest, reddest truck available, and Cloud surprised her with it – he even put a big white bow on it and led her to the garage with her hands over her eyes.

Yuffie tried to blow some of the dust off the hood so she could get a better look at the color. She ran her fingers over the glossy paint as if touching it would be better than touching any other vehicle.

She opened the passenger's side door and coughed again as new dust fell from the roof.

"You haven't used this since Spike left, have you?" she said between coughs.

Tifa shook her head and got in the driver's side. This was the second time this week she would have to revisit a past gift from Cloud, the first being the villa. It was really toying with her emotions, bringing up all kinds of memories she didn't want to think about right now.

* * *

_Tifa squealed for the second time that day once she was sitting behind the wheel of her brand new truck. Cloud got in beside her to explain some of the cool new features Shinra had added to this model. Yes, it was Shinra-made, but the company had the market cornered on trucks and Tifa really had always wanted one. Reeve had opened up a temporary dealership to sell the few vehicles he and the Turks had managed to salvage from the wreckage of Midgar. He hired some mechanics to make sure the vehicles were as good as new and to even improve the on-board computers._

_Only one person in Nibelheim had a vehicle, and it was a truck. All the kids used to play on it as it was left to rust in a side yard. It was the only vehicle Tifa had seen until Shinra showed up in town, and she always knew her dream car was actually a truck._

_She was a country girl at heart, no matter how much trauma she had been through or how much of the world she had seen. Cloud wanted to give that little piece of her back._

_"See this light here?" he said, pointing to a small bulb on the dashboard. "It lights up and beeps more rapidly as you approach something while backing up, so you won't hit anything."_

_Tifa still couldn't say anything other than "oooo" and "thank you."_

_"And this here?" he said, moving his finger to the tip of her nose. "This is the most beautiful woman in the world."_

_She had to laugh at his sappiness. The surprise truck was romantic, but he always had to go one step too far toward being cheesy._

_"You're such a dork," she told him before leaning over to kiss him. "But thank you."_

* * *

"Uh, Tifa? Why are you staring at me?" Yuffie asked, shifting her eyes and flaring her nostrils.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, just thinking about something."

She turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. She may still have some misgivings about moving on from Cloud or seeing where things went with Reno, but she had convinced herself over the past few days that using this truck would be a step toward salvation. She had been so afraid for it to get damaged that she never even looked at it after Cloud left (except when Barret was using the garage). Now she was prepared for it to get wrecked if it meant finding out how to stop the fiends.

Besides, the had no choice. Cid couldn't fly them to Cosmo Canyon in the Highwind because those "got-dang monsters" had gotten to it. He was swearing up a storm about the attack on his property, but Tifa suspected he was actually excited to get back to mechanical work and even upgrade the ship.

Driving out of town proved to be just as slow-going and frustrating as if there had been Friday afternoon traffic. Tifa drove, avoiding fiends when she could, and Yuffie cast Blizzard spells on any that tried to attack the truck. It did more damage to insect types, and didn't cause damage to nearby buildings like Fire would.

One of the first things Reeve had done when building Edge was to carve out a path through the mountains to the south and pave a road so that supplies could be carried in from Junon. A tunnel had been built through the base of the mountains, allowing easy passage between the towns. The tunnel was outfitted with state-of-the art protections to keep monsters out while allowing vehicles through. Still, the towns were still a mess, so few cars were on the roads anyway.

Tifa felt like she barely even breathed as they drove through the tunnel – the tight space giving her a sense of claustrophobia – and was thankful to just let Yuffie talk her ear off the whole way. If there had been a test afterward based on what Yuffie said, however, Tifa would have failed.

The road eventually merged with the main street in Junon leading to the docks. It was early evening by the time they loaded the car onto the boat that would carry them across the ocean, but it wasn't scheduled to leave for a few more hours.

"Let's hit up a bar!" Yuffie pleaded.

The little ninja had recently turned 18 and seemed to be intent on trying every drink from every bar she could. Tifa had her reservations, worried they might run into Reno in one of the many bars Junon had to offer. And knowing Tifa's luck, it would probably be the first bar they visited.

She had gone back to ignoring his texts, thinking that if she started responding he'd end up losing interest and then she'd be getting ditched by two different men. He hadn't texted her since, either.

"Fine, but don't drink too much," Tifa cautioned. "You don't want to make your motion sickness any worse."

"Thanks _mom_ ," Yuffie responded as she led Tifa toward the closest bar she could see.

_Three quick shots later…_

"I'm in Junon for a few hours," Tifa texted Reno.

He probably wouldn't even respond, but now the text was out there, and she felt embarrassed. She prayed Reno wouldn't see it until she was already off the continent and on her way to searching dusty old books and fighting ghosts.

She refused to drink anymore. She may have lowered her inhibitions enough to actually text the Turk that she was in town, but she wouldn't let herself get drunk enough to actually let him do what he wanted with her.

Her phone buzzed.

"I'm at Port Pub near the docks. Meet me in the side alley."

"Side alley?"

"Love to take you to my hotel but Rude and Elena might ask questions."

"What makes you think I'd let you take me to your hotel?"

"See you soon ;)"

Yuffie leaned over the table and tried to snatch Tifa's PHS from her.

"Who ya textin'?" she asked playfully after she failed to steal the phone.

"No one," Tifa said quickly. "Barret."

"Hmm," Yuffie said, tapping a finger to her chin in an exaggerated display of disbelief. "I think it's someone else. Someone you don't want me to know about…"

"It's no one."

"Oooo you _really_ don't want me to know, huh?"

"Seriously, Yuffie, it's no one important. I'll be right back," Tifa said while standing up and leaving their table, making sure her PHS was securely in her skirt pocket.

She headed for the bathrooms knowing Yuffie was probably watching her. She disappeared down the back hallway for a moment before pretending to walk back just in case the ninja was still watching. When Tifa saw that she wasn't, she crouched down and snuck out the front door, hiding amongst the crowd of patrons.

She had never been so deceptive before. She lied to Barret at the beach, and now she was lying to Yuffie in order to sneak out and meet _Reno_ of the Turks in a back alley like some kind of prostitute. She was just doing this to prove to herself he wasn't serious and she should let him go. She'd get to the alley and he wouldn't be there, she told herself, and she could feel ashamed and move on, just like she tried last night.

She told herself to just turn around and rejoin Yuffie instead. She was making a _huge_ mistake, and she would surely get caught. Yuffie was a trained ninja, after all. And she wasn't stupid, even if she played dumb sometimes.

Tifa looked over her shoulder once she had walked a little way away from the bar, convinced Yuffie would be following her. She still could be, but she wasn't being obvious about it, which was expected. Port Pub was just a few doors down from the bar where Tifa and Yuffie had been. Tifa stopped when she saw the old wooden sign hanging off the side of the building.

"This is a mistake," she said out loud to herself before hugging her arms across her chest and turning around to return to her friend.

The proximity to the dock caused the street she was on to be rather windy and cold, with drops of the ocean dotting her face as she walked. She had taken just a few steps back toward the other bar when she heard _that_ voice.

"Yo, Lockhart, over here," Reno said to her while peeking his head around the alley wall, his voice low yet forceful.

She whipped around when she heard him, knowing she was trapped now. If she kept walking away, he would follow her, and Yuffie would find out what she had been doing. But if she stayed, who knows what she might let Reno do to her. She clutched her arms across her body and turned around slowly, smelling the salty air and spying Reno looking like some back-alley drug dealer. For all she knew, that was his second job. He certainly seemed the type.

She lowered her head and trotted over to him, refusing to even acknowledge what she was doing.

"Well, hello to you too, babe," he said, following her into the alley as she walked past him without a word. He grabbed her upper arm as she walked to stop her from getting too far. "Hey, what's wrong?"

What's wrong? _What's wrong?_ How about the fact that Tifa Lockhart was meeting a Turk in an alley after ditching her best friend at a bar.

Tifa placed her hands behind her and rested her back against the wall of the pub, giving off that innocent air Reno had been so fond of all these years. She looked over at him with an unreadable expression as she considered how to answer.

"Nothing's wrong," she said simply. "I'm just surprised to find myself here."

"In Junon?"

Tifa's expression dropped. "You know what I mean."

"Oh, I think I do," Reno said, approaching her cautiously.

When she didn't flinch, he moved closer still, until his face was just an inch from her own. He acted like he was going to kiss her, but instead let a feral grin spread across his face.

"You want to see me and then you ignore me? That's not very nice, yo," he taunted. "And after I flew you to the beach."

"I'm… I'm sorry," she said.

Well, now he felt bad. He thought she'd play along, not get dejected. What had that Strife guy done to her?

"Relax, Lockhart, I'm just playin'," he said, barely above a whisper but sounding just a tad irritated. Not at her, although it looked that way, but at himself. He just could _not_ read this woman.

Tifa looked up at him and let a soft smile escape her lips, never imagining him to be so awkward around a woman. She brought a hand up to cup the side of his face, rubbing one of the tattoos under his eyes with her thumb while her other hand snaked behind his neck. Maybe the alcohol was affecting her more than she thought.

Reno usually liked rough foreplay, but Tifa had this way of softening him. Outwardly, he would say he hated that about her, but truthfully it made him purr like a kitten. He leaned his forehead on hers, the tips of their noses brushing against each other.

And then he was kissing her. Rough, passionate, raw, almost cruel at times. His tongue danced with hers before he pulled back to bite her lower lip. She lifted her head and moaned, clawing at his scalp with her nails. He started peppering her with kisses up her jawline to her earlobe, which he bit firmly with just the slightest tug, and continued back down to her neck.

She lifted one of her legs instinctively to wrap around his waist as he started to paw at her, his hands exploring what he already knew was safe territory. Oh, he wanted to take advantage of her leg in the air, that was for sure, but with a lady like Tifa, he knew better than to take things further in a filthy alley, even if it did excite him.

He knew Tifa had been drinking, but he also knew she could hold her liquor better than most of her regulars. No, there was some other reason she was giving in to him, and it wasn't just the alcohol on her breath.

"Rethinkin' what Wallace said?" he breathed into her ear before nibbling on her neck again. She angled her chin up to give him better access and cooed.

"…maybe," was her only response.

He growled and pressed his right hand against the brick wall behind her for balance, while his left hand roamed over her right breast. He then moved his hand to her ribcage, daring himself to travel south but knowing it would be safer to remain north.

Tifa moaned as she kept her arms around his shoulders, clutching his hair in her hands. He brought his lips back up to hers and she opened her mouth to let his tongue enter once again. She managed to grab his tongue and sucked on it. He howled into her mouth and pressed his hips against hers, his erection making itself known against her pubic bone. No one had ever done that last move to him prior to her in Costa, and he was losing the will to keep her dignity. Stopping was going to be nearly impossible at this point, but he couldn't ask Tifa Lockhart to suck his cock or fuck him in an alley, even if it was all he could think about now. What had gotten into _her_?

It was Tifa's first glimpse of what Reno may be carrying between his legs. She obviously couldn't see it, but she could sense he was bigger than she would have imagined. It was probably why he had so much confidence around women.

This encounter was a mistake, Reno thought. He couldn't get enough of her, and now he was risking suspicion from his colleagues. They knew his cigarette breaks couldn't take this long, even if he was out goofing around with the locals.

Tifa began worrying what Yuffie would think when she got back. The younger woman wouldn't believe Tifa was in the bathroom that long (or at least, she kind of hoped she wouldn't) and she wouldn't have an explanation. Plus, she was enjoying this too much.

"Why'd you agree?" Reno asked after he pulled back, his hand still on her breast.

Tifa looked at him with doe eyes and smiled sweetly.

"I was in the neighborhood…" she said, swirling a lock of his hair around her finger.

"Fuck babe, I don't wanna leave you," Reno said, burying his face against her neck and sucking on her pulse point.

"I know," she said, like someone comforting a friend. "But I have to get back, too."

She gently pulled his head back to look at him with wistful eyes. She was _killing_ him tonight.

She let her leg return to the ground and shifted to get him to remove his hand from her breast. She adjusted her bra and shirt and then tugged at the hem of her skirt.

"So, what brought you to Junon?" Reno asked, taking a step back to let his eyes examine her one last time.

"Heading overseas." Tifa didn't want to tell him where she was going in case he'd snitch to Shinra and be ordered to follow her. She couldn't _fully_ trust him, even if he had been rather chivalrous lately – except for this moment. And the one in Costa. Besides, she never promised to share what she learned with _him_.

"Ah, short and sweet, just like a Turk," he said.

She placed a finger on the tip of his nose to hold him in place and turned to walk out of the alley. She felt so dirty, but in a good way. She was enjoying being bad. This was the most alive she'd felt since Cloud left and she couldn't let the fear of what Barret might think keep her from moving on.

Walking away from Reno at that moment took a lot of will power, but she knew they both didn't have much time. As she turned the corner to return to Yuffie, she had a smile on her face. Her decision to meet Reno was definitely _not_ a mistake. She practically skipped back to her friend, trying to calm her raging hormones. She was so distracted she didn't even think to sneak into the bar.

She sat back down at their table, trying at least to contain her beaming grin.

"Tifa, you're all red!" Yuffie exclaimed, confidant she had just discovered some secret.

Tifa reached up to touch her face, as if she could _feel_ the redness. Her face was definitely warm despite the cold wind outside. She blushed further, knowing she had been caught.

"I _knew_ you weren't going to the bathroom! Who was it?" Yuffie asked, excited.

Tifa stammered. She couldn't tell Yuffie the truth, but she wasn't that adept at lying.

"No one, I told you, I was in the bathroom," was all she could say.

"Yeah, mmhmm, sure," Yuffie said sarcastically. She picked up a menu and pretended to look for something to order for a minute. "Nice hickey, by the way," she said casually, without looking up at Tifa.

And yet again, Reno had managed to embarrass her. Tifa brought her hand up to cover the mark, assuming her whole body must now be red.

"I'm _going_ to find out who you've been shacking up with, you know," Yuffie added, lowering the menu and showing her mischievous grin.

Tifa sunk back in her seat. Leaving her friend for a rendezvous with Reno was _definitely_ a mistake.

* * *

Reno needed a minute or two to compose himself after he watched Tifa leave his sight. That girl was something else, that was for sure. He jogged in place for a moment and took a few deep, quick breaths to calm down. He cracked his neck on each side and threw a couple fake punches into the air.

Ready.

He took his victory walk down the alley, wide-legged, leading with his hips, prepared to return to normal as soon as he turned the corner and… ran right into Rude.

"Hey… buddy," Reno said as casually as possible, praying to Ramuh that Rude had _just_ left the bar.

Rude just stood stiffly with his arms folded across his chest, but Reno could tell he was being glared at from behind those sunglasses.

"How long?" Rude asked, his tone falling somewhere between irritation and disinterest.

"Huh?"

"With Tifa."

"What about Tifa?" Reno was just stalling, knowing he wasn't helping his situation by playing dumb.

"How long have you been seeing her?" Rude huffed.

"I'm not seeing her."

"I just _saw_ you."

Reno hung his head. He knew this day would come, but he hadn't prepared for it. He had been hoping the moment wouldn't come until _after_ he had slept with Tifa, that way he could tell his friend it was over. He never wanted to hurt his friend, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted that woman so badly.

"Not too long," he said shamefully.

This wasn't going to be easy, but hopefully the fact that they were on a mission would lessen the confrontation.

"How long?"

Reno couldn't lie to his friend, but he wasn't sure to what he was actually referring. His first kiss with Tifa was after her date with Rude, but he first started to pursue her the night he took her phone. And he had _wanted_ her since the plate was dropped on Sector 7, before he knew Rude had a crush on her. He scratched the back of his head and looked at Rude's feet.

"Before your date…" he said, his eyes still toward the ground. Was there any answer that wouldn't damage their friendship?

"Did she…?"

Reno put his hands up defensively and shook them.

"No. No! She wanted to go out with you man. She didn't want me back then."

He could tell his flimsy explanations weren't helping.

"Back then?"

There was no salvaging this. Reno thought the best way to conserve his friendship would be to tell the truth, as Reno saw it.

"Okay, look, yo," he began, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. "That day, in Gongaga, when I asked you who you liked? I thought you were going to say Elena. I was all set to brag to you about how I wanted Tifa… but then you said you liked her and I didn't know what to say."

Rude didn't move, like he expected Reno to say more.

"I tried to keep it down, yo, because I knew you liked her, but these past few months I just couldn't hold back anymore, yanno?"

Rude sighed heavily.

"Why did you avoid her that week?"

Oh shit. Letting Rude know about him and Tifa was one thing, but he couldn't let his best friend know he had waited for her after their date to ravage her. He scratched the back of his head again, nervously.

"I was trying to let it go… after your date," he admitted. "I tried to keep away, but I couldn't stop thinking about her."

"Do you actually like her?"

Reno nearly choked. No, of course not. She was just a hot body to him, but that would probably make stealing her away from Rude that much worse.

It was all clicking in Rude's head. Elena's question, Reno's reaction to Tifa accepting Rude's date, his avoidance of her bar, _the flowers,_ even the red tint to his skin now screamed at him that his suspicions had been right all along.

"I… I honestly don't know," Reno lowered his head again, hoping he was still lying.

Rude just stood there; no sounds, no movements.

An eternity seemed to pass between them as Reno waited for some indication that they would be alright as friends. He couldn't help his feelings and he couldn't help _her_ feelings.

He checked his pocket for his pack of cigarettes but remembered he had smoked his last one waiting for Tifa and tossed the box in the alley. When he looked back up, he was met with a fist to his face.

Reno definitely couldn't blame Rude for socking him, but damn did it hurt to be on the receiving end of one of his best friend's punches. He was all brute strength, with none of the hotness that Tifa brought to the table when she had hit him.

His nose felt as though it had been smashed back into his skull, and he wouldn't have been surprised if his eye had popped out of its socket. He immediately brought his hands up to check. His nose was still there, but it felt fatter than before and hurt with the slightest touch. He opened his left eye and saw… pretty much the same thing as his right eye, but everything was red. He touched his forehead and felt something warm and wet, lowering his fingers to see blood. He looked back to Rude, but he had vanished.

Reno whipped around to see Rude walking briskly in the opposite direction. The redhead held a hand under his chin to catch the blood that was falling from his face as his eye was rapidly swelling. Where was Tifa to clean him up this time? Okay, bad time to think about her.

He figured Elena had been waiting long enough at this point, and he needed to explain things to her. Another conversation he was dreading.

He held his head high, took a deep breath, and entered the bar as if one half of his face wasn't bleeding and swollen. He sat back at the booth where the Turks had been and forced a smile, which hurt like hell. Elena looked up and gasped.

"Oh my God! What happened to you? Where's Rude? Is he okay?"

Reno held up a hand to stop her from rattling off a dozen more questions. In the brief moment it took for him to make the gesture, Elena had put it all together.

"He knows, doesn't he?" she asked, solemnly.

It was Reno's turn to look shocked, but the movement inflamed his injury.

"Huh?"

"Reno, stop it," Elena said plainly. "I've known for years."

Reno's jaw about hit the table in astonishment, or maybe it had broken off from Rude's punch.

"Was it supposed to be a secret?" she asked.

Reno still had no clue how she knew. "How did you…?"

"I started suspecting after Gongaga."

Reno could have hit the floor. He knew Elena had some goddess-like powers of perception, but he didn't know she'd use them against _him_.

"Do you _suspect_ he'll ever forgive me?" Reno asked with genuine concern, holding his head in his hands.

Elena could see he was hurting – and not just physically. Reno and Rude were the most veteran Turks next to Tseng, and best friends. She'd seen Reno ruthlessly drive away anyone on a whim, but he was loyal to the Turks and especially to Rude. They were a team, always had been; practically inseparable. They always took each other's sides, too – at least against her. They pulled pranks together, they schemed together, and they worked together. Elena didn't know what to say to him. She knew Rude had been suspicious for some time – partially due to her comment a couple months ago – but she wouldn't be able to tell how forgiving he was until she could see him now.

"I don't know," she said, looking at her drink and lazily swirling the alcohol inside with her straw. "But I'd say the punch to the face and him storming off might be a good sign he just needs to let off steam."

"I've _never_ seen Rude lose his cool, yo," Reno couldn't believe he had been found out.

 _Now_ how was he supposed to pursue Tifa? Anything he did would hurt Rude, probably, and he'd feel so much more guilty about his actions. Maybe after he saw Rude again he'd find some thrill in continuing to do something so wrong. He was already starting to see how that could be hot.

He shook the thought from his head. He was a rotten friend. The worst, actually, and Rude had just found that out in the worst way possible. Reno didn't know how much his friend had seen, but it was definitely enough. Even if he walked up just as Tifa was pulling away he would have seen Reno with her pinned against the wall, one leg up around his waist and his hand on her tit. No way to misinterpret that.

He suddenly lost his desire to drink and dropped some gil on the table to pay everyone's tab. Rude wasn't walking in the direction of Shinra temporary housing, so Reno decided he would go back to the apartment where they were all staying.

He trudged up the stairs to their room and slowly opened the door, flipping on a light switch and heading to the bathroom to clean his face. He looked at himself in the mirror. Yup, he looked exactly like he deserved to feel.

Meeting Tifa in that alley was a mistake. One he would surely make again.


	22. Reunion In Cosmo Canyon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are we gonna be okay?" - Reno.

Reno sat on the white leather couch in the living room of the Shinra temporary housing unit that the Turks were currently occupying. One of his hands hung limply between his legs while the other clutched a frozen bag of _something_ to his injured face. He hadn't checked the label when he grabbed it from the freezer. He could have cleared this all up with a Hi-potion, but there he sat, knowing he _deserved_ the pain from Rude's fist.

The sun was setting outside, but he ignored the picturesque view that Junon offered in order to wallow in self-pity. He was alone in the apartment and figured that if he sat out in the open, he could get a reminder from the other Turks about what a jackass he was. He needed to hear it right now.

He had betrayed his best friend – a fellow Turk. It was a double betrayal. And so here he was, basking in his misery while trying to push images of Tifa from his head. Images of her pressed up against the alley wall, a leg lifted to rest on his hip as he pushed against her, the space between them completely nonexistent. Images of her hands clawing at his untamed locks, their tongues tangled, of an evening sun kissing their faces.

Reno decided that he couldn't pursue Tifa until Rude was okay with it, even if it meant he would never get to touch her again – even if it meant being the second man this year to leave her high and dry with an unsatisfactory explanation. Not that he felt Tifa would be _too_ heartbroken; she still seemed a bit cool to him, but he figured she would at least be hurt by the abruptness of the halt and be reminded of Cloud's disappearance. He let out a heavy sigh at the thought of hurting her, which caused a sharp pain to the cartilage of his damaged nose.

She hadn't told him where she was actually going, leaving his mind to wander. Maybe she was traveling to see the little ninja or one of those other AVALANCHE pests. Come to think of it, they were almost all on the western continent now, except for Tifa and Reeve. Well, maybe Cloud and Vincent were there as well but who the hell knows?

He suddenly felt heat boil up to the back of his neck and into his stomach. What if Tifa were going to look for Cloud? He knew she still missed that walking research subject, but he knew that if she were looking for him alone, she could be in danger. But now he didn't know where she would be and he couldn't follow her because he was on bodyguard duty. Ugh.

He winced as pain shot through his eye and nose. He managed to get the bleeding to stop, but his face was now swollen and purple beyond recognition. He had a – perhaps exaggerated – sense of his own attractiveness, and his vanity was now preventing him from going anywhere where he might be seen by strangers. Well, that and the fact he felt he deserved more punishment. He knew if he looked as pathetic as possible, his colleagues would think he was looking for sympathy and give him extra criticism, which he desperately wanted. He could only beat himself up so much, metaphorically speaking, and was growing anxious as he waited for someone to confirm what a devious, rotten, no-good scoundrel he had been.

He was just about too bored to remain sitting and waiting when he heard the door to the apartment click open. He positioned himself to look at the floor beneath him, with one hand on the freezer bag as he hunched over his knees.

He knew as soon as he heard footsteps on the hardwood floors that it was Tseng coming back from who knows where. Probably wherever Rufus was at that moment. The raven-haired Turk didn't gasp when he saw Reno – Gods, sometimes he could be as emotionless as Rude – but stood a few feet back and crossed his arms.

"So, Rude found out?" Tseng asked, almost amused.

Reno snapped his head up to look at his superior, the twist of his neck causing a different kind of agony.

"How did _you_ know?" He asked with the same level of shock in his voice as when he found out Elena knew.

Dammit, Elena must have told Tseng. She had such a big mouth and probably thought it would impress him.

"Do you think Elena is the only one skilled at perception?" Tseng asked, the corners of his lips curling into a slight smile. "I'm sure Elena _thinks_ she was the only one who noticed…"

"…Sir?" Reno continued to stare at his boss quizzically.

Tseng stiffened, narrowing his eyes at Reno and losing the smirk, letting the redhead silently know he was about to be lectured. Reno was all for it. He would take whatever discipline Tseng dished out – a pay cut, a suspension, anything – to make him feel like he had made up for what he had done to Rude and the Turks as an organization.

"Look, Reno," Tseng's tone was mysterious, yet almost nostalgic. "I know I don't have a leg to stand on in this matter…"

Wait, what did that mean? Was it because of how Tseng treated that Cetra years ago? Or was he up to something else now…

"…but fraternizing with an enemy of Shinra has never worked out well for anyone."

For anyone? Was he referring to his near-death experience at the Temple of the Ancients? Rude's relationship with Chelsea the AVALANCHE chick? Who else suffered for something like this?

Reno hesitated to argue with his superior about whether AVALANCHE was really still an enemy since they had largely disbanded and had saved the planet. Besides, they were all working together to beat back the fiends in Edge and frequently attended Seventh Heaven, which was owned by a former member of AVALANCHE.

"Sir…"

"Always remember your job comes first, Reno," Tseng warned, giving Reno a pointed stare before turning on his heel and entering his room.

He closed the door behind him. The apartment was fully stocked and furnished for out-of-town employees but resembled an off-campus apartment complex more than corporate housing. The furniture, of course, was expensive and the place was professionally decorated, but the apartment had four separate bedrooms – each with their own private bathroom – and a common area that contained the living room, dining area, and kitchen. Shinra had several apartments like this and tended to stuff visiting employees in to each one to cut down on costs.

Reno stared after his boss for a moment, still shocked that seemingly everyone but Rude knew about him and Tifa until tonight. He thought he had been so discreet; how could they have known? Elena picked up on little signals, sure, but did Tseng pick up on them too? Or was he being followed?

He pulled the freezer bag from his face and reached his other hand up to feel his wounds. Except for the fact that his skin was now wet and cold, not much had changed. He thought ice was supposed to _reduce_ swelling, be could barely see out of his left eye due to inflammation and he was now sure his nose was broken. He'd wait until Elena came back to give him a piece of her mind before asking her to check it out. If broken, he could shove it back into place himself – and gross out Elena to boot.

Elena entered the apartment a short time later. She didn't say anything to Reno but gave him a pretty nasty look before shaking her head in disgust and walking over to him to inspect the damage.

"Your nose is definitely broken," she said in a tone that conveyed her sense that he deserved the injury.

"Damn," Reno said. "Guess I should fix it then…"

He reached up his hands to either side of his nose.

"Wait! No! Let me get out of here!" Elena cried as she quickly got up and tried to get to her room.

 _CRACK_.

Too late. She could hear the sound of bone and cartilage being reset and it sent a shudder down her spine. Reno _knew_ she hated that sound.

"You. Asshole," she said.

Reno suspected she wasn't just referring to him fixing his nose.

"Ugh, and I was going to eat that cauliflower rice, too," she whined, noticing the freezer bag Reno was again holding to his face.

He pulled the bag away again and inspected it, horrified to learn that he had used something so _girlie_ on his face. Where was the frozen peas or a good ol' steak? You know, like a _man_ would use? He quickly tossed it on the coffee table as if it were suddenly oozing some kind of thick pus.

Elena walked back over to him and picked it up to return it to the freezer. When she came back, she gave him a knock on the back of his head.

"That's for what you did to Rude!" she said, proudly yet defiantly.

"Ow! Hey! As I recall, you _knew_ about this even longer than I did, so how are you any better?" He stuck out his chin to show that he had taken the upper hand.

"Heh, _suspecting_ something and being the one _doing_ something are very different things," she said with a grin.

For once, Reno didn't have Rude to back him up against her. He depressed himself realizing he probably wouldn't have Rude to back him up for a long time, if ever again. He had thrown it all away, and for what?

Reno scoffed. He was doing _something_ alright, but certainly not _it_ , much to his dismay. Gods, Tifa hadn't even really touched him yet, and now he may never get that sensation. And on top of all of that, he lost his best friend.

"Well, I'll just leave you here to mope like Cloud Strife," Elena said, knowing _that_ would cut Reno deeper than anything she could antagonize him with relating to Rude. Once she saw Reno's good eye twitch from holding back his emotions, she laughed and entered her bedroom, closing the door behind her just as Tseng had done.

Reno just had to wait up for Rude to come let him have it again. He stood up and walked over to the panoramic window that faced the harbor. The passenger ship was still docked, and he watched for Tifa to board. He watched for a few minutes before the captain blew the horn to signal the ship would be launching. He must have missed her.

He continued to watch as the ship slowly pulled away from the dock and began traveling to the other continent. A little panic settled into his gut as he found himself worrying about her. If she was alone, she could get hurt, and he was already beating himself up for not stopping that bullet. The next time she might need him he couldn't be there…

The door opened slowly behind him and he turned, expecting Rude to still be trembling with rage. Instead, the bald man looked as calm as ever. He didn't look at Reno, but the red-haired Turk kept his eyes trained back on Rude as he ambled into the kitchen, opened the fridge, pulled out the water filter, grabbed a glass, poured some water, returned the filter to the fridge and closed it, and then took a long sip from the glass, finishing with an "ah" of satisfaction.

Reno's good eye narrowed at his friend, who was clearly relishing the anticipation building up in the room. Rude brought his water glass into the living room and sat down on the couch where Reno had been sitting previously. At no time did he make eye contact with the redhead, who was still standing by the window.

"I saw her," Rude said after sitting in silence for several agonizing minutes.

"You… what?" Reno asked, worried that Rude had said something to Tifa that might… complicate his plans.

"I didn't talk to her. She didn't see me," Rude explained. "She was with that ninja girl. She looked… happy."

Rude's tone was neither pensive nor displeased. Reno decided talking right now might change that.

"I knew I couldn't make her happy," Rude continued. He then turned his head to look directly at Reno. "Don't hurt her."

Reno couldn't say for sure that he wouldn't. He found himself wanting to be around her constantly, but that was mainly due to his hormones. He couldn't say for sure he'd want to keep seeing her after a couple good screws. He'd never been in this position with a woman before. Usually he was already done with them. He knew he wasn't boyfriend material, but Tifa had "committed relationship" written all over her face. He couldn't live up to that.

"I don't want to," he said, half-lying. He was starting to find the idea of hurting her to be offensive, but he had no clue how he _couldn't_ disappoint her, if she did, indeed, have feelings for him. He let out a smirk, "Besides, Strife could come back at any moment and none of this will matter."

He hadn't realized how much that last sentence would sting until he actually said it. Whatever his feelings were for Tifa, it was not just the two of them in this pseudo-relationship. The chocobo-haired freak was always there, hovering over them. Reno could _feel_ Cloud's presence even when he was alone with Tifa. In the alley, the blond was next to them, silently judging, wishing he wasn't just a feeling so he could kick Reno's ass. Sure, it made Reno want to do even _worse_ things to Tifa, but he always knew he was just a temporary distraction.

He now hated that. _She_ was supposed to be a temporary distraction for _him_ , but the tables had turned – and temporary had turned into six months so far.

Rude seemed on the brink of being pleased when Reno brought up Cloud.

"Are we gonna be okay?" Reno asked.

Rude sighed.

* * *

Tifa gripped the railing along the deck of the cargo ship as it sped away from Junon. She hadn't made too many trips to the western continent since she and Cloud built their home in Edge, and now she was making her third voyage in as many months, though this was the first of the visits where she traveled by sea.

She looked toward Costa del Sol as the wind blew her hair and spritzed her face with seawater. She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear to stop it from whipping her face and took a deep breath of fresh, salty air. She was still thinking about her brief encounter with Reno in Junon, feeling a pulse deep within her when she now thought of him pinning her to the wall and groping her. Just a few months ago she would have been horrified by the idea. She still found it frightening, but no longer just because of their former enemy status. The very thought of moving on from Cloud was terrifying. The thought of _enjoying_ anyone other than her former hero was downright devastating.

The air was filled with the sound of sea water crashing against the hull and the motor of the ship. But there was something else, too. Something that was ringing in Tifa's ears. Something she had recently managed to ignore until it just now flared back up. It was like this high-pitched blaring – like when a TV channel tested its emergency broadcast system.

"Who is it? Who is it? Who is it?"

There it was again.

Yuffie had pretty much not stopped asking that question once Tifa returned to the bar. Now that she was hearing it again, she was getting a piercing headache just behind her ears.

"Yuffie!" she yelled at last.

Tifa had thought the young girl would get bored, give up, or lose her voice, but clearly that was not the case.

"Just tell me who it was and I'll stop," Yuffie grinned.

"I… can't," Tifa sighed.

"Was it Rude?"

"Yuffie!"

The younger woman put her hands up defensively.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," she said, resting her forearms on the railing and leaning over.

Her determination to find out who Tifa secretly met with had done wonders for her motion sickness, but now that she wasn't annoying her friend, she suddenly felt extremely queasy. She leaned over the railing, convinced she was about to yack.

What was that thing Cloud told her about motion sickness? Oh yeah, being nervous could prevent motion sickness. Well, that wouldn't help right now since she was already sick. He also told her to… move around a lot and stretch.

None of those things seemed doable right now, however. Yuffie knew if she took one step, she'd throw up all over the place. As it was, Tifa was inching away from her slowly.

At least that meant she would be quiet for the rest of the boat ride.

* * *

Night had fallen when the two women disembarked from the ship. They picked up Tifa's truck and parked it in a secure lot before heading to the villa. At least they had a free place to stay for the night before trekking to Cosmo Canyon the next day, and in a city so protected for tourists they wouldn't even have to worry about monster attacks.

Now Tifa wished she hadn't gone into the villa on Sunday to check for Cloud. She knew what she would find and now had the memory of deflated expectations in mind as she opened the door to let herself and Yuffie inside.

"Whew, this place has seen better days," Yuffie said, acknowledging the dust that covered everything in the entrance area. "Hey, wait, there are footprints in the dust!"

Tifa stiffened her spine and froze. Yuffie followed the footprints into the bedroom, taking notice of the finger trails on the dresser and a further trail to the far bed, which didn't have the same coating of dust as the other bed in the room.

"Someone has been here!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Recently!" She rushed out of the room back to where Tifa was standing. "Do you think it was Cloud?"

Tifa bristled at the mention of his name. She sighed, turning to her friend to explain.

"Cloud wasn't here," she said, defeated. "I was."

"You? But how?" Yuffie asked. The truck clearly hadn't been used for months and the Highwind was out of commission. Unless Tifa _walked_ there…

Tifa was in dangerous territory here. She didn't know what she could say that would satisfy Yuffie, at this point. Every answer seemed to be an avenue toward the young ninja learning about Reno.

"Barret and I came with Marlene," Tifa said cautiously. Yuffie put her hands on her hips and bent at the waist.

"Did _Barret_ fly you here, hmm?"

"Um, no… we went in his truck," at least it was plausible. He had _driven_ himself and Marlene to and from Edge. Hopefully that was enough to allay Yuffie's suspicions.

"So, if I call Barret right now, he'll say the same thing?" Yuffie asked, pulling out her PHS, flipping it open, and holding her thumb over the buttons, threatening to dial.

"….yes," Tifa couldn't stop lying. Reno was really having an effect on her.

"Well, let's just make sure," Yuffie grinned and pushed a button, then held the phone to her ear. Tifa could hear it ringing.

"Wait!" she called, reaching toward Yuffie, who pulled her phone out of Tifa's grasp. "It was Reno!"

" _Hello, you've reached Seventh Heaven. We can't come to the phone right now, so please leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can, thanks_ ," Tifa heard her own voice say from the other end of Yuffie's phone.

She closed her eyes and flared her nostrils, cursing herself for falling for Yuffie's ruse. That was something Reno would have done.

"Reeeeee-no, huh?" Tifa could see the gears turning in Yuffie's head as her eyes looked to the ceiling. "Hmm, yeah, I can kind of see it, if you can get past the whole he-tried-to-kill-us and also he's a whore, thing."

Tifa chuckled before quickly realizing she was letting Reno's flaws slip past her. He hadn't given any indication that he had changed since she first met him, yet she seemed to be looking past the horrible, disqualifying things that continued to scream at her to back away. Stupid hormones. And stupid Cloud for leaving her to fall into the arms of the first man who gave her attention. Wait, no, she was sorry. It wasn't Cloud's fault.

But Reno wasn't trying to kill them anymore, unless the Turks were waiting for some moment to attack, which seemed unlikely given how easy it would be for the four of them to take on Tifa by herself. And Tifa hadn't seen Reno pick up a woman in Seventh Heaven since, well, since before Cloud left. It didn't mean he wasn't finding women elsewhere, but he wasn't bragging about it like he used to…

"Tell me _everything_ ," Yuffie demanded.

Tifa sighed again and lowered her head. Might as well come clean at this point. She walked over and sat at the small dining table just inside the entrance, with Yuffie close behind.

And so, she came clean. She told Yuffie how Reno and Rude had been helping her fight monsters, about the stitches, her dream…

"Wait, hold up, you had a" Yuffie leaned her head closer to Tifa and lowered her voice as if someone might hear them in the otherwise empty villa, "sex dream about Reno? How was he?!"

Tifa brought a hand up to cover her face as she blushed. This was _not_ a conversation she wanted to have, with anyone.

She told Yuffie about the dream and how she was embarrassed the next day when Reno pulled her onto his lap and then stole her phone and put his number in it. She told her friend about Reno's tendency to appear when she was alone, like in the alley behind her bar and in the mansion basement in Nibelheim. Yuffie had _lots_ of questions about what happened in Nibelheim.

"He did _that_ with his mag rod? How did it feel? How long did he have to use it on you? Can I buy one?" and others to that effect.

Tifa just shook her head and smiled at the memory. Now that she had a couple months to process it, she was actually hoping to experience that sensation again. Maybe Reno would let her borrow it (though she doubted he would let her use it without him present to watch).

"So, what else?" Yuffie prodded after exhausting herself of questions relating to the EMR.

Tifa groaned and continued. Just about everything she said regarding the night with Reno after her date with Rude elicited a "WHAT?" from Yuffie, begging for more details, as did Tifa's encounters with the red-headed Turk in Costa del Sol.

"He _flew_ you, Barret, and Marlene to a resort town?" Yuffie asked. "That's kinda romantic."

Tifa closed her eyes and shook her head again. Yuffie may have seen it that way, but Tifa saw it as Reno trying to bribe Marlene into liking him so maybe Tifa would sleep with him.

Tifa next told Yuffie about what happened between her and Reno in Junon just a few hours earlier. Her cheeks flushed as she spoke and heat pooled deep in her belly.

"That is SO hot," the younger woman kept saying.

Next came a dizzying array of questions about Reno that Tifa absolutely _did not_ want to answer.

"Was he cut? I bet he's super cut – and strong! So, did you see _it_? I bet it's big."

Tifa buried her face in her hands and contemplated how long it would take to dig a hole on the beach big enough for her to crawl into and hide.

"No, Yuffie, I haven't seen _it_."

"… _Yet_ ," Yuffie replied with a wink.

Tifa dropped her head to the table. This was the second-most humiliating conversation of her life, second only to the one Yuffie dragged her into after the ninja found out Tifa had slept with Cloud. Come to think of it, Yuffie had a lot of the same questions about Cloud then as she now did about Reno.

Tifa finished telling Yuffie about Reno breaking into her home, the flowers, and how he visited her in the hospital and would plant a kiss on her forehead, which Yuffie found _terribly_ romantic and a little pathetic.

"That's it?" Yuffie seemed ultimately disappointed.

Tifa's jaw dropped open. That wasn't enough?

* * *

The rest of their trip to Cosmo Canyon was spent with Tifa trying to answer as few questions as possible and Yuffie constantly coming up with more to ask, such as whether Tifa wanted to date Reno and when she would sleep with him.

The roads leading south from Costa del Sol and west to Cosmo Canyon were plagued with monsters, but Tifa was able to speed past most of them or let Yuffie slow them down with materia. Unfortunately, some managed to attack the truck, and Tifa knew she would find even more scratches and dents when she arrived at the Canyon than after they had traveled to Junon.

After she parked her truck at the base of the steps leading up to the city (and pushed a couple larger boulders near it in the hopes it wouldn't get further damaged), she turned to Yuffie and gave her friend a stern look.

"Yuffie!" she said to get the ninja to stop talking. "You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"Who would I even tell? You think Nanaki or Cid want to hear about that?" she asked, extracting a nervous laugh from Tifa.

They were greeted at the stop of the steps by the same man who always managed the entrance to the Canyon. Even after all their trips, Tifa was embarrassed by the fact that she _still_ did not know his name. At this point, it was too late to ask.

"Hello, Miss Lockhart. Nanaki is waiting for you," he said, taking their bags for them.

He led them first to their hotel room and set down their belongings before taking them up to Bugenhagen's observatory where Nanaki was waiting. They didn't need the escort, but they were grateful nonetheless.

"Tifa! Yuffie!" Nanaki's voice broke into his natural tone as he cantered to the two women.

Yuffie knelt down to give him a hug and Tifa scratched him behind his ears.

"Hello, Nanaki," she said, bending over to his level and smiling.

"I'm so glad you're both here," Nanaki said eventually, reinstating his more dignified tone. "I think I've found something, come with me."

More walking. At least it wasn't too far. He led them into a large room they had never seen before on the top floor of the inner canyon. It was round, like most of the rooms and structures in Cosmo Canyon, but it was lined with shelves that were filled with books, most of which looked like they could be dozens, if not hundreds, of years old. The bottom three or four rows of shelves all around the room looked clean, but the higher shelves were covered with dust and cobwebs from lack of attention.

Upon entering the room, the women immediately noticed that it was not empty. Vincent Valentine stood with his back to them, holding a book that he was intently reading.

"Vincent!" the women said in unison.

After a few minutes of (awkward) silence, Vincent closed the book and clutched it back against his forearm before turning to face the rest of the group.

"Vincent, what are you doing here?" Tifa asked.

"He's found something," Nanaki informed her. The girls looked back to Vincent, expectantly.

"There was something in Hojo's research in the Shinra mansion that caught my eye," Vincent explained.

"But the Turks stole everything we found!" Tifa said, flapping her arms out to her side in exasperation.

"Ah but I kept this to myself," Vincent corrected. "I noticed it when we were searching, and after the Turks attacked us and gave up so easily, I figured they would try to steal what we found."

"So, you _let_ them take all our work?" Tifa asked. Maybe Vincent wasn't so dense after all.

"…Yes. It was worthless anyway. This notebook contains the useful information," he said, removing an old journal from the back of his waistband. "It appears Hojo _did_ inject some local monsters with Jenova cells and documented their reaction."

"What happened?" Yuffie asked.

"The monsters became much more aggressive," Vincent said. "Savage, really."

"Okay, that explains why they're so much stronger than before, but not why there are so many," Tifa mused.

"That's why I came here," Vincent replied. "The Elders of Cosmo Canyon have the foremost collection of data on the Lifestream."

"You think the Lifestream had something to do with this?" Yuffie asked.

"Perhaps," Nanaki answered. "The Lifestream did cover the planet when it defeated Meteor and Holy, it would make sense that it would inflict unknown consequences on the world."

"But, the Lifestream was Aerith!" Tifa interjected, her voice louder than she intended. She didn't want to think that the gift Aerith gave them actually caused its own damage.

"I know, but remember when you and Cloud were in the Lifestream?" Nanaki asked. Tifa nodded. "You were mostly unscathed, and Cloud only survived because you were there to help him. But remember before that, Cloud traveled through the Lifestream to Mideel. That, coupled with the Jenova cells and mako he already had in his system, nearly killed him."

Tifa didn't have to be reminded of that week.

"Each one of those elements had its own effect on Cloud, a human," Vincent explained. "We don't know what kind of effects it could have had on monsters – or those with Jenova cells injected into them."

"Wait," Tifa closed her eyes, her heart dropping. "Are you saying Cloud's headaches could have been caused by the calamity?"

"Cloud was having headaches?" Nanaki asked. Tifa nodded again, her eyes filled with concern and fear.

"Like the ones he had when I first found him in Sector 7."

"Weren't those the result of Sephiroth or Jenova calling him to the Northern Crater?"

Tifa suddenly looked desperate. "Do you think…?"

"Tifa, we don't know," Nanaki reassured her.

"Why would it take two years for all of this to happen?" Tifa asked.

"I'm not sure, but it may have been bubbling before this and is just now coming to a crisis," Nanaki mused. "I suspect it took some time to get their numbers up…"

"But why wouldn't humans be affected?" Yuffie asked.

"Well, we don't know they weren't," Nanaki said. "But I haven't exactly felt like walking up to people and asking if they were feeling more amorous than usual…"

Yuffie looked at Tifa as if this were an explanation for the barmaid's attraction to Reno. Tifa glared back at her friend and shook her head slightly. Yuffie shrugged.

"You've found nothing here yet?" Tifa asked.

Vincent shook his head.

"We still need to look at the books on the top shelves, but I'm interested to see what's in the other library," Nanaki said.

"Well, let's get to it then," Yuffie offered.

* * *

The four Turks were gathered inside Rufus' office in Junon. The relationship between Reno and Rude was still a bit icy, and there was a definite tension in the air, but Rufus was clearly choosing to ignore it along with Reno's clearly injured face.

They had been in Junon for days now, just twiddling their thumbs while Rufus did whatever it was he wanted to do. Reno had gotten antsy – and drunk – waiting for Rufus to stop talking to the Shinra scientists that were stationed in Junon and had survived Meteorfall. He knew that all four of them didn't need to be here, but Rufus wanted all the Turks with him nearly all the time now. Reno suspected he was becoming paranoid because nothing had actually happened to him or Shinra since the calamity.

Reno had been bored out of his mind, even more so because he was sticking to his plan of not contacting Tifa until he was sure Rude was okay. So, all he had were memories. He'd considered picking up some women at the bars in Junon, but he remembered what happened the last time he had done that to take his mind off Tifa. They weren't worth it.

"Are you with us, Reno?" Rufus asked.

The redhead realized his colleagues were all looking at him and that he had zoned out.

"You got it, boss," he said with a salute.

"Good," Rufus continued in an irritated tone. "I found something while going through Hojo's research and I wanted to bring it here to consult with our scientists."

Reno stifled a yawn. Normally Rude would be standing next to him to elbow him in the side when he got ornery at a meeting, but his best friend was next to Tseng today and avoiding eye contact.

"After multiple consultations – and some experiments – I'm confident that I have an idea about what's happening with the monsters of the world," Rufus continued. "Hojo had been conducting secret experiments in the basement of the old Shinra building. He didn't properly document what he was doing, but he did keep a personal notebook about the work."

Tseng shifted uneasily. The things Hojo properly documented were horrifying enough; he couldn't imagine what the man might be doing off the books.

"It seems Hojo was trying to come up with something more powerful than SOLDIER by injecting various monsters with Jenova cells, mako, or both," Rufus explained. "According to this journal, it looks like he started his research in Nibelheim—"

"—But we didn't find anything in that research," Reno interrupted.

"I'll get to that in a minute," Rufus said, nearly snarling. "It seems Jenova cells made them more aggressive, but mako rendered them rabid and, ahem, amorous."

The Turks looked stunned.

"What can we do about this?" Tseng asked, professional as always.

"We have a theory that the problem will take care of itself eventually," Rufus mused.

"But you're not convinced?" Tseng shifted his weight slightly.

"Hojo found that some species couldn't handle the injections and would die a horrible death due to disease," Rufus answered. "Based on what Rude and Reno have told me about some of the creatures they've encountered in Edge, I would say those species are taking care of themselves."

"But the others?" Rude piped up.

"We could wait it out, but I'm working to find a solution that can solve the problem quicker, however…" Rufus sighed with disappointment. "I suspect those AVALANCHE nuisances found something in Nibelheim that you didn't retrieve."

Reno and Rude looked at each other, their eyes narrowing (well, Reno's good eye). Rude's arms were already folded across his chest, and Reno followed suit. After all, _Rude_ was the one who decided to break into their hotel room and steal the research. Reno's job was distraction, and _he_ did his job just fine. He distracted the _hell_ out of Tifa that night, so much so that he was _still_ distracting her.

"Has there been any effect on humans?" Reno asked, getting Rufus' attention off of the Nibelheim caper. "I mean, we've all been injected with some level of mako, but we aren't violent and abnormally horny."

Rufus and the other three Turks stiffened at his word choices. Rude, Elena, and Tseng did look to Rufus for an answer, however.

"Well, first you'll have to remember that we were all in Midgar during the calamity and the Lifestream didn't pass through the city," Rufus explained. "But it also appears humans are immune from whatever the Lifestream caused, as SOLDIERs who were stationed in other parts of the world don't seem to have been affected."

Rufus paused, but no one else spoke.

"There's only one living human that we know of who was injected with Jenova cells," Rufus continued. "And as I'm sure you're all aware, Cloud Strife is currently missing."

Something sparked in Reno at that moment; a memory he had never given a second thought. He usually focused on the fun times and conversations with Tifa, but she at some point had mentioned something about Cloud.

 _He didn't leave because of the headaches or nightmares, he just didn't want to be with me_.

Reno couldn't tell his colleagues about this since it would reveal Tifa had opened up to him and he didn't want to be used to get more information from her. It also wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things, since the effect of the Lifestream on one single person wasn't a priority.

He looked away from Rufus thoughtfully as he contemplated whether he would even tell Tifa about this theory. If he did, she might think Cloud was suffering from the same problems as the world's monster population and Reno's careful plans would go to waste. _Shit_ , he had to tell her, which meant he was going to lose her before he even had a chance.

"How can we stop the monsters from reproducing and lower their numbers all at once, around the world?" it was Elena's turn to finally ask a question. Her voice snapped Reno out of his thoughts.

"I need more time to work that out," Rufus responded. "The scientists here have a hunch, and I'm going to let them keep working on it. In the meantime, we're going back to Edge."

Reno held back his excitement, even though he didn't know whether Tifa would be back in town yet. Rude looked over at him when Rufus said they were returning home and furrowed his brow.

Once the Turks were back in their apartment and packing, Reno took out his phone. He figured Rude was _getting_ over it, so a simple text wouldn't be too devious. He couldn't tell her what he had learned over the phone or in messages, and depending on her response, he might not have much time to figure out how to word the information. Maybe Cloud really was done with her, which Reno found difficult to believe.

"Heading back to Edge. See you soon?" was all he sent.


	23. Shades of Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I've got a bad feeling about this" - Yuffie Kisaragi.

The eternal sunset of Cosmo Canyon drenched the village in fiery light, casting long shadows across the reddened shale and obscuring the actual time. In the library where four members of AVALANCHE were gathered, the bright gleam of the sun peeked through a narrow opening above the top bookshelves.

Tifa had to face the opposite direction to avoid the penetrating glare, but could still feel the white hot burn on the back of her neck, a sure sign that her already tanned skin may soon crisp. The heat of the sun was nothing compared to the warmth between her thighs, still aching from her encounter with Reno the day before. It was disappointing how easily she quaked at the mere thought of his touch. It was reminiscent of the effect Cloud had on her during their journey two years ago, when the simple act of him accidentally brushing his shoulder against her own could leave a lasting warmth that made her smile long for his embrace.

She and her fellow AVALANCHE members had nearly searched the books placed on the higher shelves, having found only a few that might hold information about the Lifestream's effects on living creatures. Those found to be useful were placed in a small pile near the door, numbering fewer than the books and documents Tifa and Vincent lost in Nibelheim.

Nanaki was already reading one of the books gathered from the dusty reaches of the library and set aside, lying on his belly with his front paws holding open the tome. His species, or possibly just him, was capable of reading faster than humans, and so the only sound in the library as Tifa, Vincent, and Yuffie searched was a rather steady stream of the word "Interesting" coming from Nanaki's mouth as he read.

Tifa and Vincent were each atop one of the two ladders in the room, with Yuffie on the ground ready to climb up to safely retrieve any useful books to add to the pile. Tifa could tell these books hadn't been touched in decades, possibly since long before she was even born. Some of them were stiff, hardened with time and the dry air while others threatened to crumble at her very touch.

As she searched, her mind kept wandering back to Reno and what he might say if he were in the room, given the fact that she was wearing her classic miniskirt and standing at the top of a tall ladder. She could just imagine the crude comments he would make and thanked the stars that he was on another continent at the moment.

_Nice view._

The words were as clear to her as if he had said them in this very room, and Tifa flailed at the thought that the Turk had once again not only found where she was without telling him but had also snuck in without her knowledge to make a smart-ass comment. She startled for a moment, her arms flapping to the sides in an attempt to steady herself as she leaned back, her stomach dropping briefly at the thought that she would fall from her high place on the ladder. With a quick swing of her arms she was righted again, grabbing the rung in front of her tightly with one hand while managing to maintain her grip on a displaced book with her other. Her heartbeat quickly returned to normal as she reminded herself that Reno wasn't even on the same continent and hadn't just spoken.

"Um… Tifa?" Yuffie asked from below. "You okay up there?"

The younger woman couldn't see Tifa's cheeks heat up from her vantage point below and the martial artist refused to turn to meet Yuffie's gaze, instead returning the book she was holding to the shelf and pulling out another.

"Yep, I'm good," she insisted, cursing Reno as if it was his fault she was thinking about him at that moment.

Yuffie glanced over at Nanaki, who had noticed Tifa's sudden contortion as well. Brown eyes met yellow as the two shared a questioning look before Yuffie shrugged and turned her attention toward her friends above her. Vincent had been too busy reading to have noticed anything, his inhuman ability to tune out the world around him on full display. Tifa absentmindedly tugged at the hem of her skirt as she skimmed the contents of the book before returning it to the shelf as well.

"This looks to be everything in here," Vincent declared after replacing a book that nearly fell apart in his hands. He had to hold the book together and stuff it into the shelf between two other ancient books to keep it from completely disintegrating. As it was, the front cover was nearly ripped from the binding, though it might not be visible to the naked eye from the floor. "I think it's time to head to the other library."

"Yeah!" Yuffie exclaimed, pumping her fist. "Finally, some action!" she added with a little dance.

Vincent and Tifa climbed down from their respective ladders to join Yuffie and Nanaki in the doorway. The three with opposable thumbs picked up the relevant books and moved them into Bugenhagen's laboratory to be read later.

"Ready?" Nanaki asked after everyone had set down the books they were carrying.

The others nodded and he led them out of the laboratory and down to the vault door that led to the Cave of the Gi. The door seemed even heavier than it had two years ago, but Vincent managed to pry it open, a cloud of dust releasing into the air as he did so and coating the group's sinuses. Yuffie and Tifa coughed as Nanaki sneezed a couple times. Vincent seemed unaffected, as he was so often, and continued into the cave to the rope that led below.

Tifa followed, sliding down the rope and once again thankful that Reno wasn't around to look up her skirt. She considered that perhaps she should start wearing something else when she traveled, but this is what she felt comfortable in most of the time. Besides, she didn't think it mattered what she wore – athletic gear, spandex, sweats, whatever – Reno would find a way to ogle.

Once in the main entrance of the cave, Tifa was struck by the musty air and scent of decay, bringing her back to her first trip here two years ago. She could never forget that smell; dank and moldy with a distant hint of smolder from the lava beyond the initial maze. It made her want to gag but she pressed on.

The group passed by the first broken section of rock, wherein two years ago Cloud broke open a strange looking rock to reveal a door to another section of the cave. They followed Nanaki along the narrow path, through clouds of hazy green light emanating from an unknown source. The path seemed straightforward, and Tifa wondered how they had felt so lost during their first visit.

Like the mansion in Nibelheim, the Cave of the Gi was one of her most unpleasant memories from her journey with AVALANCHE. She remembered constant attacks, made all the worse by not knowing there was a switch in one of the dark alcoves that would allow them to proceed further. She remembered Cloud going into each one expecting to find something, while her and Aerith waited outside, giggling at first when they heard Cloud break something and then swear, their laughter evaporating when he ran out of the alcove toward them followed by a Gi spector.

And then there were the oil spills and stingers. She thought back to Cloud having to grab Aerith by the arm after she slipped on the oil and nearly rammed herself into the spiked wall. Tifa remembered the look the two exchanged after Cloud rescued her, his arm still around her waist and her face just inches from his own. Tifa had felt a quick, hot pain in her chest at the sight and cleared her throat to the remind the two that she still existed. Aerith had blushed and attempted to give Tifa a look that told her the scene wasn't what she thought it was, but it stuck.

Tifa herself had nearly fallen off the path and into the lava just a few minutes later. Cloud saved her as well, calling out her name in that way he always did that made her heart melt and snatching her arm just before she was out of reach. He had pulled her back onto the path and close to him – closer than he had held Aerith just moments earlier. Tifa could have sworn Cloud was about to say something as they lingered, the feeling of his chest beating rapidly against her own before Aerith interrupted to suggest they get what they were coming for and get the hell out of there before someone died.

As they had traveled through the first archway near the oil spills two years ago, a stinger came within an inch of killing Cloud before Aerith was able to heal him. All around, just a terrible experience.

At least this time Tifa knew what was lurking in the cave, and they didn't have to deal with the puzzle or the oil.

She was snapped from her memories by the screech of two Gi spectors flying toward them, spears outstretched and just nearly missing her shoulder. She spun around to kick one in the ribcage, sending it reeling backwards and in range for Nanaki to leap up and drag it to the ground in order to finish it off. The other attempted to stab Vincent, but its flimsy spear snapped against the former Turk's armor as he stood perfectly still, arms folded across his chest. The spector looked down at its broken spear, giving Yuffie a chance to blast it with fire materia before it regained its senses.

After the creatures were disposed, Nanaki continued through the narrow passageway to the far end of the cave, below the entrance to the next area, and began sniffing along the ground. The other three watched as the red beast brought his nose to the wall, searching for something without explaining his intentions or asking for help.

He then stood up on his hind legs, continuing to sniff the wall before he started moving to his right, stepping gently and running his nose along the cool, smooth limestone that appeared to everyone else as just another part of the cave wall. Finally, he stopped sniffing and began pawing where he had just pressed his nose. Soon, the wall began to tremble and vibrate before it opened, detritus shaking loose and more dust clouding their view.

"Whoa!" Yuffie exclaimed, convinced Nanaki had been smelling a solid wall.

As the others stepped toward the new opening, some more Gi spectors appeared, brandishing their spears and chattering amongst themselves in some ancient, dead language. Tifa kicked one as it attacked and punched another to her opposite side, causing each to fly back a few feet. Vincent was able to shoot three more in quick succession as Yuffie finished the two Tifa had already hit by again casting fire.

Nanaki was on guard in the newly formed doorway to ensure the fiends didn't get through to the library and stepped aside when the others had finished their fight. Like the opening maze of the cave, this tunnel smelled of stale air and fiend remains, but lacked the cool glow and strange green lights of the previous area. The four members of AVALANCHE found themselves shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from Nanaki's tail. He turned back toward the entrance; to the corner just inside the tunnel. He stepped to the side with his back feet, swinging his hind quarters toward his front and raising his tail into the corner to light the end of a torch that had been resting against the wall.

Tifa quickly grabbed it and held it above her, allowing the others to see they were in a long, straight passage with high rock walls on either side, smooth to indicate this was a manmade tunnel. There was only darkness ahead and the faint sound of shuffling, a sure sign that fiends lay ahead, though none had attacked so far.

"The Lifestream may not have been able to affect this place," Nanaki wondered aloud as they walked toward the library, given the lack of monster intervention thus far.

Of course, as soon as he said something a pair of hegs slithered up to the team. One wrapped itself around Vincent before he could get away and began constricting, tightening around the former Turk as he struggled helplessly against it. Tifa and Nanaki immediately went to work on it, Tifa pummeling it with her fists while Nanaki slashed it with his claws. Yuffie made quick work of its partner with an ice spell and joined the others to pry the second beast off of Vincent before he was squeezed to death.

Vincent fell to his knees to catch his breath while Yuffie cast cure on him.

"Thank you," he said while gasping for air, clutching his chest as his typical calm demeanor loosened for a brief moment.

"Maybe I spoke too soon," Nanaki worried.

The tunnel they were in eventually opened up into a large cavern that remained in inky blackness even with what remained of the torch. Nanaki took the lead, since his eyes were better attuned to the dark, and led them forward cautiously, alert for signs of movement.

"We're almost there," he said after a few minutes of walking seemingly nowhere.

Tifa suddenly felt a rush of wind across her back as if something ran past her, and the torch light evaporated. "Oh no," she whispered as what little light they had now disappeared.

"Ack!" Yuffie cried, clearly getting knocked off her feet and landing hard on the cave floor. "What the hell?"

Each looked around as they heard a distant skittering that seemed to move away from them, then to a far wall, and finally on the ceiling above them. It sounded like an insect, but far larger than anything they were used to – or had encountered in a long time.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Yuffie warned as she stood up, her neck craned so she could see above.

At that moment Tifa felt tiny drops of what she hoped was drool fall onto her shoulder. It singed her skin and caused her arm to immediately tingle. Before she could use anything to remedy the pain, the group suddenly felt as though four large poles dropped around them. Yuffie felt a rush of wind fly up her back, unsettling her hair. She could tell something solid was behind her and she jumped toward Tifa when it moved. They were boxed in, by something large, solid, and _alive_ ; it was clear things were about to get really bad, really fast.

Nanaki had galloped toward Tifa and Yuffie to face what had just surrounded them, sliding on the cave floor in order to flip around and face the creature. With a low, menacing growl he crouched on his front legs to raise his tail in the air, lighting the beast. Once they saw its numerous eyes, the fiend released an ear-splitting screech that expelled wet, hot spittle over the three nearest members of AVALANCHE.

The largest stinger they had ever found in the canyon lunged for them, the sputum it discharged already poisoning their blood. The fiend was at least twice the size of the ones they fought in the Cave of the Gi two years ago, its body hovering maybe five feet above them.

The creature cried out in pain as Yuffie's Conformer glanced off its body and cut deep into a leg as it returned to her. As soon as she caught her weapon, she winced, feeling toxin coursing through her veins. She dodged a swipe of one of its other mighty legs and ran toward its hind quarters, digging in her satchel for a cleansing materia.

"Keep it busy!" she called as she desperately searched through her stash, feeling each orb's power to find the right one in the darkness.

Ice, Magnify, Chakra, Wind – no! Without light to guide her, she crashed against the back wall of the cave, stumbling backward and holding her head as another sharp pain shot throughout her body.

To her right, Vincent was shooting, though the beast's small body and narrow legs made it difficult for him to land a shot. Nanaki leapt into the air to tear at one of the creature's legs, gnawing near the base of it until he had managed to bite through. The stinger stumbled on its remaining three legs, lashing out violently at the four attackers. Nanaki dropped back to the floor as he, too, felt the acid in his bloodstream.

Tifa moved to uppercut the fiend's body, but a wave of pain and nausea hit her all at once. She felt as though tiny needles were coursing through her veins as her limbs began to go numb. The nausea and a thorough, sharp pain to her heart only happened about every 10 seconds, at first, allowing her to push through the poison and fight until it inevitably hit.

It was odd, since stingers weren't poisonous. Tifa had little time to contemplate whether this fiend had been affected by the Lifestream or had evolved differently locked away in this separate cave, the venom plaguing her body taking its toll. She carried no antidotes with her; pointless extras that would weigh her down in a region without poisonous fiends. As she struggled to stand, each shot of toxin draining her life force, she realized how foolish it was to not be prepared for anything at this point. Thankfully, she knew Yuffie was searching for the right materia.

Tifa found it difficult to stand, bending over to place her hands on her knees in case she threw up. It was unlike any poison she had experienced, completely debilitating and causing her to consider death. The gunshot wound to her abdomen had been painful, but she never once thought she would actually die. This toxin, however, had her thinking over the past few years of her life and what would happen if she were to meet her demise in a hidden section of a forgotten cave. Would Cloud come back? Would he mourn her? How would Reno react? And what kind of burden would she leave on AVALANCHE with her bar and funeral costs?

She closed her eyes and doubled over, clutching her stomach and gagging harshly, though no bile escaped. Lights flickered around the edges of her eyes, tiny specks of color threatening to swallow her whole with the promises of ending the pain.

Nanaki was slowing down as well, struggling to stand but still trying to attack. His head was so foggy with poison that he couldn't cast magic, and just hoped Yuffie would be able to with the same condition. He staggered, his paws having lost feeling to the stinger's bile. He barely even noticed the sudden pain in his ribcage as he was thrust from the ground into the wall of the cave by one of the fiend's remaining legs. He crumpled to the floor, trying his best to place one front paw flat on the ground, then the other one, before pushing himself up shakily. It took a few tries, like trying to steady himself on a sheet of ice, and even when he managed to stand up fully he felt the call of darkness.

Vincent remained unscathed, having been behind the stinger when it spewed its venom. He continued firing away with the Death Penalty, landing more shots than not and eventually landing a fatal blow, unaware of the dire situation that had befallen his comrades. With one last wail and thrash of its remaining legs, the stinger fell to the ground, ceasing to move.

Knowing the fiend had died, Tifa tried to call out for help in the darkness, but only exasperated gurgles escaped her throat.

"Got it!" Yuffie tried to call out, but her energy was drained, and she slumped to the ground, her voice barely a whisper that even she couldn't hear. She knew she had just seconds to act, but every movement and every thought was agony. She held the green orb between her thumb and index finger and forced through the pain to bring it to her opposite wrist, using her palm to push it into her bangle.

Just as his eyes were closing against his will, Nanaki saw a flash of green light illuminate the room. The pins and needles that had engulfed his body dissipated, the nausea instantly subsiding and allowing him to stand up fully again. On the other side of the room, Tifa, too, was slowly getting back to her feet.

"That was… unexpected," Nanaki offered as the four regrouped around his tail.

"No more surprises, okay?" Yuffie asked timidly before casting cure over the group. The others nodded their heads in agreement.

"The library is just over there," Nanaki said, tilting his nose toward what appeared to be more inky blackness.

The others followed him a few hundred feet in the dark before he stopped and again stood on his hind legs to search for some unseen mechanism in the cave wall. After a moment, the wall rumbled and vibrated before moving to one side to allow passage. As soon as all four had entered the room, the door shuttered closed behind them, causing the four to turn around in preparation to fight. They settled once they realized they were alone, though suspicion was in the air.

Typically, when a door closed on its own behind them, trouble was near.

"This is where the Elders stored their most sacred texts," Nanaki informed them, trying to refocus their attention elsewhere.

A soft orange glow lit up the room, though there was no discernible source. It allowed plenty of light for the group to start searching the small library, pleasantly dim to avoid eye strain. The three walls without the door contained bookshelves that were not filled with many books. Another two rows of shelves lined the middle of the small room and were stuffed with literature. The aisles were cramped and the air was stuffy, reminding Tifa of a bookstore she and Jessie once visited on Midgar's Topside when they were on better terms – before Cloud came into the picture, back when blowing up a mako reactor was still just a distant dream.

"More reading, yay," Yuffie grumbled sarcastically, bringing Tifa out of her reverie.

Searching through the books was much easier than trying to read through Hojo's research, as the texts in the hidden Cosmo Canyon library generally had titles on their covers and tables of contents. Nanaki, of course, wanted to read everything he found to gain a greater knowledge of the world, but resigned himself to reading only what was necessary at the moment. Just as in Cosmo Canyon's proper library, the group created a small pile of books containing information that might be useful based on a cursory glance of the title and contents.

"This looks promising," Tifa said a few hours into the search as she pulled a book with a green leather cover from one of the shelves. It was called "The Lifestream's Unknown Gifts," and she flipped open the cover to find the table of contents. A chapter called "Terrestrial Lifeforms" caught her attention.

She began mumbling as she read, using her finger absentmindedly to keep her place.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I think this is it. 'In 1387, an earthquake brought forth a pool of Lifestream. Numerous fauna fell into the pool and needed rescue. Some of the creatures died of unknown malady, but the survivors were known to villagers long after as troublemakers and degenerates.'"

She brought the book over to Nanaki so he could study it further.

"Interesting!" he said as he placed his front paws on the pages to hold the book open on the floor, his tail twitching gently. "So, one need not be _injected_ with Mako to be affected, or at least, that is the case with beasts."

Nanaki continued reading the book as the others (who were better able to search the shelves anyway) continued looking.

There was no PHS reception inside the canyon, so when Tifa started to yawn she couldn't tell whether she was tired of the search or genuinely tired due to the time.

"Are we camping out here or should we head back for the night?" she asked when she saw Yuffie nodding off as well.

"I don't really sleep," Vincent said.

"Bullshit, you had slept for 30 years when we found you!" Yuffie countered, suddenly energetic.

"Anymore," Vincent added.

"I'm also too excited to sleep, but if you two want to head back I can go with you. I'd just like to take some of these books with us so I can look through them tonight," Nanaki offered.

"Agreed," Tifa replied.

The two women scooped up the half-dozen books the team had collected and followed Nanaki out of the library. The stinger's body had long since evaporated into the Lifestream, making it easier for the trio to navigate the darkened cavern as they made their way back to town. Thankfully, nothing else lurked in the fiend's lair, but they were attacked in the tunnel between the cavern and the Cave of the Gi. A pack of sneaky steps attacked them just outside the tunnel in the entrance to the cave, but their emaciated state made them easy to defeat.

"They look so… sick," Yuffie said, crouching near the corpse of one of the fiends she had just killed. Its body lie beside her with lesions across its flesh and opened wounds that appeared infected. "I almost feel sorry for them."

"They look like the zenenes I've had to deal with in Edge," Tifa said, hovering over Yuffie as they both observed the corpse. "Maybe it has to do with what that book said – that some species died after falling into the Lifestream."

"What a horrible way to die," Yuffie commented before standing up and dusting off her shorts.

The three continued back through the Cave of the Gi, fighting more specters and a lone heg as they returned to civilization. Back on the other side of the vault, Tifa and Yuffie followed Nanaki up to Bugenhagen's observatory to set the books down on his small table.

"Come get me in the morning when you wake up," Nanaki said as he bid the women goodnight. They nodded and waved as they left the observatory to return to their hotel room. Tifa's instincts had been correct, as it was now night in the canyon, stars sparkling overhead as the reddened rock turned a deep purple hue, bathed in celestial light. Yuffie stretched her arms up over her head once they were out of the observatory, letting out a purposeful groan.

"Man, I am _soooo_ tired! All those hours searching through dusty old books is really boring," she said.

"It's important, Yuffie," Tifa chided gently as the two climbed down the ladder from the observatory.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you just want this to be over so you can get back to _Reee-no_ ," the ninja added, making an exaggerated kissing noise.

"Absolutely not!" Tifa insisted, perhaps a little too forcefully. She looked around to see if any townspeople had heard them, though the village was empty this late.

When they were back in their hotel room, Tifa's PHS buzzed.

"I bet that's him!" Yuffie said excitedly.

Tifa rolled her eyes and opened her phone. Yuffie was right, but Tifa didn't want _her_ to know that. It actually looked like the text hadn't come through since they arrived in Cosmo Canyon the night before. It wasn't surprising, the rock formations of the canyon and the lack of a reception tower made connection within the city difficult. Their hotel room had a window, which seemed to be the only reason they were able to get a little reception now.

"Heading back to Edge. See you soon?"

The date on the message was for the previous day.

So, Reno was back in Edge. At least Tifa knew that even when she got back and Yuffie left she wouldn't be alone, even though she really had to figure out how to be okay by herself. She never thought she relied on anyone before, but ever since Cloud left and she felt alone, she realized she had _always_ relied on other people. She had her parents and then Marle until she was given her own apartment at Stargazer heights. After that she traveled with AVALANCHE for months searching for Sephiroth and had been with Cloud after Meteorfall.

This was the first time she was truly alone in her life, and she hated it.

"Still a couple days out," she texted back.

She stared at her phone for a few minutes before realizing the time difference meant it was probably the early morning hours back in Edge. Reno was probably still asleep. Tifa put her phone under her pillow and tried to sleep, wondering what Reno had learned while in Junon with Rufus Shinra.

She realized then that even though he had promised to tell her what they learned from Hojo's research, he hadn't offered her anything yet. _What if it was all a lie?_ She had let him feel her up after he made that promise, and she hadn't gotten information in return. Was that why she was giving in to him? No, she'd never do that. Even in Wall Market she was never going to have to go through with anything that would debase herself. But maybe _he_ thought _he_ was using her by stringing her along with the promise of information.

* * *

Reno had to admit, he liked being back home in Edge, even if his apartment lacked the normal homey touches that made a place feel welcoming. Seventh Heaven was closed, of course, since Tifa was still on another continent, and Rude was still sore over the whole betrayal, so Reno had to settle for drinking alone at home. Elena had offered to grab a drink with him, but he knew she just wanted to fish for information and judge his behavior for insights. No thank you.

He entered his dark bedroom and left the lights off, shrugging off his wrinkled white dress shirt and tossing it onto the clothes pile on the floor. He unbuckled his belt and slid it from his waist, depositing it on the floor as well.

He flopped back on his bed with his arms outstretched, staring up at the ceiling even though all he could see was the darkness surrounding him. Tifa hadn't responded to his last text, even after what had happened between them on the roof of Seventh Heaven and in Junon, a concern that had crossed his mind on more than one occasion while in the military city. He was starting to consider taking things seriously – not from a label standpoint, but from the realization that his games and tricks wouldn't work on her. Even worse, he didn't even seem capable of _playing_ games anymore when it came to Tifa Lockhart. His mind turned to mush around her; happy just to be able to string a sentence together with some of his usual snark. Yet now she wasn't answering and he was beginning to worry that she had talked to Barret Wallace again. It was always one step forward, two steps back with her, and he found himself constantly thinking about whether she would try to end things again.

The thought terrified him in a way he had never felt before, similar to how he felt any time it looked like one of his colleagues might die during a risky mission. The idea of suddenly having Tifa taken from his life was beginning to feel the same as his fears that he and Rude would never patch things up. There was currently a hole in his life - a big, Rude-shaped hole - and he was already struggling to deal with that.

He exhaled to clear his mind of the stress, letting his mind wander back to the image of Tifa in that alley, her back pressed against the brick wall of the pub as his hips pinned her in place. He brought his right hand up to rest beneath his head as he remembered how her lips tasted that evening and how her newly tanned skin felt against his own, the wild look in her eye that he caught for a brief second as he pulled back to ask why she had agreed to meet him in Junon in the first place.

He closed his eyes while his thoughts shifted from history to fantasy, and he began to imagine her straddling him on his bed, riding his cock in a way he suspected she was capable of, yet never attempted with someone as milquetoast as Cloud Strife. Reno scoffed and slowly, absentmindedly, his left hand casually drifted down to the waistband of his pants, his fingers dipping below the fabric to the elastic of his boxers. His eyebrows scrunched as he reached beneath his underwear to his member, already partially erect thanks to his memories.

He grasped the base and began to stroke slowly, partaking in an act he hadn't committed since he was a teenager and still a Shinra rookie, when he was a small fish in a big pond and hadn't yet perfected his pick-up skills. Sure, he was already experienced by then, but not to the degree he was now.

With silence and darkness consuming him, he pictured Tifa above him, sliding up and down on his cock, her perfect tits bouncing pleasingly as his name oozed from her lips. He watched, mesmerized by her taut, pink nipples just aching for his tongue, recalling the way they looked when covered by flimsy fabric, soaked with chill.

His pants grew tight, prompting him to remove his hand to quickly unbutton and unzip them, lifting his hips to push them and his boxers down his legs so he could kick them off the end of the bed. Reno scooted further up toward his headboard, naked and chilled against freshly cleaned sheets, to resume where he had left off. He again took his erection in his hand and began to stroke, now more vigorously as he let his eyes close to imagine Tifa on top of him again. Should the stars ever align enough to grant him the chance to experience her as he wanted, he would definitely insist on this position.

He could see his hands reaching up to rest on her hips, guiding them up and down his shaft as a bead of sweat streaked down her temple. He imagined her crimson eyes staring into his with a ferocity he hadn't seen from her since they were trying to kill each other, wild with abandon and losing all sense of dignity. He licked his lips and halted her ride, shifting her hips forward and backward so that she grinded against him, his full length buried inside her. His hand pulled vigorously at his member, ending each tug with a slight flick of his wrist at the tip before traveling back down to the hilt as precum offered him lubrication. He had no lotion or tissues anywhere near his bed, a testament to his opposition to what he was currently doing.

He was ashamed of himself for this, lying alone with only his fantasies to console him like some sex-starved teenager unable to control his hormones. He convinced himself he was only doing this because he was experiencing the longest dry spell since he first became sexually active in his early teenage years, yet another way Tifa made him feel like an inexperienced dolt.

He should have been putting this much energy into forgetting her, instead of making it even more difficult to imagine her as anything other than a sexual partner. Maybe he should have spent more time investigating Hojo's labs in the Shinra building and Nibelheim for some sort of potion to erase memories of a particular person. Truth be told, there were others in his life he would prefer to forget, but maybe Hojo had some sort of _anti_ -love potion to end these feelings. Surely Shinra had something to give to SOLDIER's to keep them from getting too distracted by personal interests.

He increased his speed and tightened his grip as he pictured her moving to turn around on his cock to face his legs, trying her best to remain connected to him. Her glorious ass now taunted him as long ebony hair cascaded down her back.

"Oh, baby," he said out loud, further emphasizing how embarrassing a moment this was for him. He might succeed in getting off for the first time in months, but it wouldn't carry the same satisfaction.

Still, he was getting close, and he considered this might be beneficial to get it out of his system on the off chance he was able to obtain the real thing. Nothing would scar him more than failing to satisfy Tifa Lockhart should he get the opportunity. Imagine, he thought, the girl of his dreams and him performing like a virgin choir boy. Or worse, Strife.

He felt his heartbeat racing, his blood on fire as his hand continued to stroke, the sound of skin smacking against skin the only other sound in the room besides his occasional moaning. His hands by now were slicked with precum trickling out of his tip, begging to thrust inside Tifa rather than a gripped fist.

Her name began to escape his lips as he felt a wave of pleasure wash over him, culminating in a heated pool in his belly that traveled up his cock and exploded from the tip, sticky fluid raining down on his legs and sheets. He was still in the throes of ecstasy when he heard the familiar alert of a text message, startling him. All passion drained immediately; the only person who would contact him this suddenly in the middle of the night was Tseng.

Reno lunged to the end of the bed, ignoring the fact that he had just dove onto his own puddle of sticky shame. He quickly found his pants and boxers and leapt into them before retrieving his PHS, determined to be ready in an instant for whatever emergency assignment Tseng would demand. He was uncomfortable, stuffed inside his boxers that were bunching something fierce under his wrinkled pants.

He opened his PHS with one hand as the fumbled around in the dark to look for his belt with the other. The name that lit up on the screen stopped him in his tracks, causing a throb in the vein along his temple as he realized there was no emergency. He could have ridden out his orgasm and enjoyed his pleasure high.

Don't get him wrong, seeing a text from Tifa was anything but frustrating, he just wished he hadn't been so eager to accept an assignment that would take his mind off of her.

"Still a couple days out," she had written.

He groaned, running his free hand through his hair and pulling out the band that held his ponytail to free the tangled tresses beneath. Now he was wide awake with nothing to do but stew over an empty couple of days until she returned. Rufus had returned to Edge with a plan to figure out how to stop the monster attacks, but he wasn't sharing it with the Turks, leaving them to languish in their office or patrol the streets for fiends.

Well, he knew one thing he could do right now: Shower. He needed to wash off the shame and guilt of his actions, so he tossed his dirtied clothes onto the floor pile and stepped into his shower, keeping the water cool. He grimaced as he scrubbed his lower abdomen a little harder to erase the evidence of his misdeed, but recovered quickly when he came up with a wicked idea.

He grinned as he stepped out of the shower and strolled back into his bedroom to escape the steam that had built up in the bathroom. He flicked the lights on and grabbed his PHS, not bothering to wrap a towel around himself or cover up with any article of clothing. He opened his phone and accessed its camera, angling the lens down over his still glistening skin and flexing his abdominal muscles. He held the camera so as to capture his abs and part of his pectorals in the frame, cutting the image off just a few inches above the point where the lines of his Adonis Belt would meet. Satisfied, he snapped the photo and checked it over before sending it to Tifa.

* * *

Tifa woke up to discover another text, sent just a few hours earlier after she had fallen asleep following her text back to Reno. Had she been drinking water, she would have spit it out when she opened the message.

"Something to think about until then ;)" the message read.

Attached was an image that instantly made Tifa's insides jump. It was clearly a photo of Reno, either naked or wearing very little clothing, showing off his chiseled abs. She could see the line of hair that stretched from his belly to… much lower, and she felt her cheeks fill with heat.

"Oh my god," slipped from her mouth and she quickly looked over to the other bed to make sure Yuffie was still asleep. Thankfully, the young ninja was a surprisingly heavy sleeper and didn't even stir.

Tifa grabbed her phone and rushed into the bathroom to study it some more while she got ready, her lower abdomen filling with heat and feeling as though it was doing somersaults each time she looked at the picture, cursing Reno for such an underhanded trick.

 _I guess that red hair is natural,_ she thought as she studied it, suddenly feeling an intense need to touch that trail of pubic hair… and see where it leads.

Tifa was rather perky that morning as she waited for Yuffie to finish getting ready so they could meet Nanaki and head back to the library, and the young ninja took notice.

"You're too perky today," she said flatly as she struggled to keep her own eyes open. "Be less of that."

Tifa just smiled as her friend reached for the coffee pot. It wasn't every day _Yuffie_ thought someone was being too energetic, and Tifa knew she needed to calm her hormones before anyone caught on. She couldn't have Yuffie teasing her all day and letting Nanaki and Vincent know about Reno. The young ninja took a couple sips of coffee before taking a deep, meditative breath and speaking again.

"Okay, now that _I'm_ awake, you wanna tell me about your little texty text?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked, failing to feign ignorance. She was a skilled fighter, but her poker face needed a _lot_ of work.

"Oh please, you're as red as Reno's hair!"

Tifa blushed further.

"So, what'd he say?" Yuffie asked.

"N-nothing," Tifa stammered.

"SO, IT WAS A PICTURE?"

"NO" but it was too late. How did she even make that leap so quickly?

Yuffie was lunging for Tifa's PHS like it had the secret to immortality stored on it. Tifa was taller than Yuffie, so she held the phone as high in the air as she could as Yuffie tried her best to obtain it through non-violent means. Failing at that, Yuffie suddenly got a devilish grin and tickled Tifa under her arm, causing her to lower the phone while defending herself.

Yuffie grabbed the device and ran into the bathroom with Tifa right at her heels, slamming the door and locking it as the bartender screamed at her and pounded on the door. Tifa knew her actions were now futile, but the thought of Yuffie doing something with the photo or worse, responding to Reno on the martial artist's behalf, frightened her more than a one-on-one fight with Bahamut.

"I already know you're out there, it's not going to work," the younger woman said calmly, leaning against the door so she could make sure Tifa could hear her clearly on the other side. Yuffie flipped open Tifa's phone and grinned as the photo came into view.

"HOLY SHIT TIFA!" the bartender heard from the other side of the door.

Tifa leaned her head against the door and frowned. She could only imagine how _she_ would feel if _Rude_ stole Reno's phone to look at a picture of her, even one that didn't show anything too scandalous. She was somehow embarrassed on Reno's behalf, even though she was sure the redhead was supremely proud of his body and wouldn't mind the photo being share publicly. Hell, he'd probably want it on a billboard.

Yuffie opened the door and tossed the PHS to Tifa, making a sly comment about the "carpet matching the drapes."

"I'd be in a good mood too if I woke up to _that_ ," the ninja added.

Tifa rubbed her hands over her face and groaned. All the enthusiasm she had for this day was suddenly gone, replaced by sheer humiliation. At least Yuffie wouldn't be able to tease her anymore once they rejoined Nanaki. No suggestions for how to respond, no attempts to ask for more scandalous photos, no advice on how to angle the camera to capture a similar photo to send back. Tifa looked forward to the reprieve as they knocked on the observatory's door.

"You're in a good mood this morning, Tifa," Nanaki commented when they entered the building.

Yuffie stifled a laugh and Tifa tried to keep from turning red again.

"Just positive we'll find something good today," the bartender answered.

* * *

They were again attacked by a few Gi spectors and hegs as they returned to the library through the Cave of the Gi, but the creatures didn't put up nearly as much fight as Tifa remembered from the first time they were in the Cave of the Gi all those years ago. She had grown so much since that time, fought so many tougher enemies, that maybe the fiends in the cave weren't necessarily weaker, though Tifa swore the creatures back then fought like they were berserk, where as they now almost seemed resigned to defeat.

Nanaki again opened the secret door on the far wall that led to the library. This time, they brought a couple flashlights to help see rather than rely on the red beast's tail. When they reached the room, they found Vincent standing in almost the exact same place as they had left him the night before.

"Geez did you even _move_?" Yuffie asked, placing her hands on her hips defiantly.

Vincent continued to read. He may not have heard what Yuffie said, or he was just that adept at ignoring people. After a few moments, he closed the book and put it back on the shelf, then moved to a different area to keep searching.

"The back wall is done," he said without turning to look at the others, motioning to a few books he had stacked on the floor near the entrance.

"Great!" Nanaki replied, moving toward the pile and sitting down so he could open up a book and begin reading.

"So, did you learn anything from the books you read last night?" Tifa asked, looking through the books on one of the free-standing shelves in the middle of the room.

"Quite a bit, actually," the red beast responded. "It appears the presence of the Lifestream altered the hunting and mating patters of most of the species on earth. As you discovered, Tifa, some species are dying from the contact, but others are thriving."

"Okay, so what can we do about all the attacks in town?" Yuffie asked.

"For the most part it looks like we just have to keep fighting and eventually there will be fewer monsters," Nanaki answered.

"That's it! We just have to wait it out?" Yuffie was not pleased.

"Well, I found something in one of the books that might give a clue," Nanaki continued. "Apparently, something similar happened thousands of years ago after Jenova landed and the planet tried to heal itself."

"The texts go back that far?" Vincent inquired, turning to the group for the first time since they returned to the library.

"The book I read was not that old but had apparently been written based on historical documents from the Cetra. If you'll recall, Jenova disguised itself as a Cetra and poisoned them with its own cells, turning them into monsters."

The others quietly stared at Nanaki with anticipation.

"Which means many of the monsters in the world today still contain Cetra and Jenova cells within them. The Lifestream appears to be interacting with those cells."

"Wait, I'm confused," Tifa said, holding up her hand. "So, the only ones affected are those with Cetra or Jenova cells?"

"I believe so," Nanaki said.

Tifa's eyes began to well up with tears. "So, Cloud's disappearance really is probably due to what happened two years ago…"

"That looks to be the case now. Also remember, that if any part of Jenova still exists, Jenova can influence the creature."

"That was Hojo's 'Reunion Theory,'" Vincent noted.

"Exactly."

"But we defeated Jenova. And Sephiroth!" Tifa insisted.

"Yes, but it doesn't look like we cleared Jenova cells from the planet," Nanaki said.

"Is there a way to do that?" Vincent asked.

"I'm not sure, honestly. If I don't find anything more in the books here, I think our next place to search would be the Forgotten Capital."

Tifa closed her eyes. So many thoughts were swirling around in her head right now. What Nanaki said made sense on some level, but it didn't seem like there was much anyone could do. She just spent days traveling to Cosmo Canyon and searching the libraries there, she wasn't exactly looking forward to another lengthy trip to the Forgotten Capital. She wasn't sure she could handle seeing Cloud again right now, even if his actions over the past couple years were the result of the Lifestream interacting with his mako and Jenova cells.

She wanted to know if there was a way to stop what was happening around the world and maybe even save Cloud, but his words still rang in her head.

_They weren't the only reasons I left…_

Was he just saying that to get her to leave that day? Or was he not actually affected in the same way the monsters were and truly missed Aerith?

She had to know, because if there was a chance that Cloud needed her help, she had to be there for him.

"So, let's head to the Forgotten Capital now, you can finish reading on the way," Tifa offered.

"Tifa, I understand your concern, but this is just a theory, even if it does seem plausible," Nanaki replied. "I'd like to finish looking through these books before we go rushing off on what might be a dangerous adventure."

"Maybe the Highwind will be fixed by then," Yuffie interjected.

The young ninja certainly was _not_ looking forward to anymore boat or car rides. Not that the Highwind was any different, but at least it was quicker. The quickest way to the Forgotten Capital without an airship would be to take the intercontinental highway Reeve had built, which connected Edge to the Northern Continent. But it would still be a long and difficult journey, and even if they used Tifa's truck, it would be a lengthy trek, with little chance the vehicle would survive. Plus, two people would have to ride in the back on the uncomfortable fiberglass bed.

"Maybe," Nanaki mused.

Tifa looked dejected, surprised that her friends lacked her urgency. Cloud could be in danger, but Vincent and Nanaki wanted to conduct more research before going to help him. Maybe information in those books would lead to a different conclusion, and maybe Tifa just wanted to hold out hope that she hadn't been rejected by the man she loved, but if Nanaki's theory was correct, they didn't have time to waste.

"Well, I'm heading back to Edge to start preparing," she said defiantly. "Please come as soon as you can."

Nanaki nodded. "I don't suspect it will take much longer," he said, before raising his chin to look up at Tifa. "And remember, Cloud has successfully fought through the Jenova cells before."

 _Because I was there to help him_ , she thought, but didn't say out loud.

* * *

Reno had been tapping his fingers on his desk for way longer than even he realized, bored out of his mind as he waited to start the afternoon patrol. Ever since they'd returned from Junon, Rude had refused to join in any office fun, instead choosing to do _something_ on his computer or simply read quietly. Reno had no idea how to include Elena in any pranks since she was usually on the receiving end of them, and he felt pranking Rude would be in poor form at this moment.

"Could you _stop_ that, _please_?" Elena said in a way that made it clear she was leveling out a command, not a request.

"I'm your superior, you can't tell me what to do," Reno barked back at her. He had no qualms about stopping his finger-tapping, he just didn't like when Elena used _that_ tone with him.

"Reno, stop annoying Elena," Tseng said from inside his office. He had ears like a bat.

Elena rotated around in her chair to give Reno a childish "haha you got in trouble" look that he did not appreciate. He narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her.

King of the playground.

Reno stopped tapping his fingers but started humming just to get back under Elena's skin. It also covered up the sound of him flipping his phone open to check for a response from Tifa and then closing it again, something he had been doing all morning while waiting for a text. He had sent that photo hours ago, and even though she was in Cosmo Canyon, he felt she should have responded by now. His relationship with Rude was improving each day, but he still felt guilty for texting Tifa.

He had told himself he'd wait until Rude was over the situation before continuing to expand his relationship with the barmaid, yet all that quickly went out the window when the redhead couldn't stop thinking about her. Just a couple days after getting punched in the face because he betrayed his best friend and he was already back to his shenanigans. He was truly a lousy friend, but he couldn't help himself anymore.

He also figured that things were only improving between him and Rude because Tifa was out of town. Would Rude still want to go to Seventh Heaven every night knowing that Reno could be scoring with the woman he still idolized? Reno didn't think Rude had moved on from Tifa completely; after all, it had only been a few days.

Her last text said she wouldn't be in town for a few days. He hoped Rude would forgive him completely by then, but seeing Tifa might change things. Now Reno had to _really_ look like he was a nice guy, not just to lure Tifa into bed, but to keep Rude from kicking his ass for hurting her. He was in too deep now.

"Reno? Rude?" Tseng said from his office. "Go upstairs, Rufus wants to talk to you."

Reno looked at Rude with a "now what?" expression on his face, but the bald man looked just as confused (well, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, which was as much confusion as Rude was capable of showing). They each stood up and quietly walked out of the Turks' office.

"What do you suppose he'll have us do now?" Reno asked with his hands on the back of his head.

"Probably needs a coffee," Rude said once they were out of the office and out of Tseng's earshot.

Reno guffawed and smacked Rude in the shoulder. "You got your sense of humor back, buddy!"

"Yeah, brushing up on my comedy routine," Rude said in a monotone voice.

Maybe things between them would be okay.

They entered Rufus' office a moment later without stopping to check in with the secretary first. Rufus was standing up at his desk and on the phone when they entered, holding one finger up in their direction while giving no other indication he had noticed them.

"Thank you, that will be all," Rufus said to the person on the other end of the phone before hanging up. He continued to stand and rested his knuckles on his desk to lean over it, peering at the two Turks in front of him. "I need you two to start surveilling AVALANCHE again."

"Why?" Rude asked.

"It seems some of them were spotted recently in Cosmo Canyon," Rufus began. "I think they're continuing to search for an explanation to the monster problem."

"So? What if they are?" Reno asked, a little indignantly.

"I told you, Shinra needs to be the ones to save the world. We can't have them getting in our way."

"Okay, but, what if, like, we _teamed up_ with them, yanno?" Reno suggested. "They're the 'planet saviors' after all. Helping them would still help Shinra."

Rufus seemed to ponder his suggestion for a moment, much to Reno's genuine surprise.

"You're right, Reno," he said after a while.

Reno's jaw dropped at the response, not used to hearing such a comment from Rufus, or anyone, really. He knew he was right. He was right about a lot of things, but because he was Reno, people didn't seem to want to give him credit. Pfft.

"I am?"

Rude looked shocked as well (in his own Rude way).

"I want you two to start surveilling the barmaid. She's apparently traveling back from Cosmo Canyon now. She seems to be at the center of their activities. Follow her. Bug her place. Find out who she's talking to and where she's going. And report back."

"Just surveil, sir?" Reno asked, eliciting a knowing glance from Rude.

"I still want Shinra to end the world's problems this time, but" he lowered his head and signed, "if it looks like AVALANCHE will beat us to it, we should join with them to increase our own stature."

"So, leech off their popularity?"

"It was _your_ idea, Reno."

"Sounds good, boss," Reno said. "We'll see what we can squeeze out of her."

Rude shot him a decidedly malicious look that Rufus didn't notice. Reno just _had_ to try his luck. It didn't matter; this was the closest thing to a real Turk assignment they had gotten in months. The two men stood up and headed for the door as Rufus disregarded them and returned to his work, whatever that was.

"What a perfect assignment for you," Rude said with a hint of envy once they were outside Rufus' office.

"Hey man, this is great!" Reno enthused. "No more desk duty. No more patrol. We get to stalk someone in the shadows and _drink_ all night – for work!"

Rude shrugged his shoulders. This did beat sitting at a desk all day surfing the Database or getting his work suits covered in monster blood and guts. His salary may go further with Edge's reduced cost of living, but his dry-cleaning bills made up the difference.

He said nothing to Reno as the two rode the elevator back down to their floor. He wasn't just upset that this meant he had to be in the same room as Tifa and Reno for the foreseeable future, but the fact that if she found out they were there to surveil her, they might forever lose the friendly relationship they had built with her over the past six months. Even if she were no longer a romantic option for Rude, he didn't want her to start looking at him with malice in her eyes again.

Reno could feel his phone buzz in his pocket once they returned to their office, causing him to hitch a step as heat traveled up his body to his cheeks with the thought that maybe Tifa had sent a return photo.

"So, what's the new assignment?" Elena inquired. While she was glad to have them out of the office again so she could be alone with Tseng, it still meant she was forced to do boring work rather than the more devious tasks a Turk was to perform.

"Surveilling Tifa," Rude said plainly.

"Haven't you been doing that for years?" Elena asked, as innocently as she could muster.

Rude was not amused.

"Too soon?" she asked with a rueful smile.

Reno plopped down in his desk chair with a chuckle and pulled out his phone.

"1 text message from Tifa."

The words made his heart skip a beat. That was new. Should probably see a doctor. Probably smoking too much. Yeah, that was it.

"Nice photo :) Be home in two days," it said.

She really needed to work on her flirting. Reno decided at that moment he would help her with that when she returned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update 12/14/2020: I changed the scene where Tifa and Nanaki discuss their trip to the Forgotten Capital. Have been thinking about it a lot and I think Tifa would want to get there as soon as possible, which wasn't reflected in the original chapter.


	24. Definitely A Bad Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm feelin' a little underdressed here" - Reno.

It was good to be back in her own bed again. As much as it was nice to be with half the remaining members of AVALANCHE, nothing ever quite felt like sleeping in a bed that was all her own. Tifa hadn't had her own bed since the plate fell on Sector 7, spending the next few months living in hotel rooms and tents – and that one stranger's house in Lower Junon. She became accustomed to falling asleep in a variety of places and under a variety of conditions.

In hotels with air conditioning or in cooler climates, like Junon, Tifa found herself wishing she had the courage to leave her shared room with Aerith and Yuffie to join Cloud in his bed, imagining his arms wrapped around her to keep her warm. Worrying about what the rest of the group would think always made her reconsider, and then she would spend far too long tossing and turning, chastising herself for being cowardly. Aerith, she always thought, would have no trouble with such a maneuver, and Tifa was always jealous of her for that.

Some nights while on the road, Tifa would awaken to find Aerith missing from their room at an inn, her bed unmade but no lights turned on. When it first started happening, Tifa sat up and tried to listen for voices or footsteps; something to tell her that Aerith had just gone to the bathroom or lobby for some reason. The martial artist would then lay back down and pull the covers up to try and stop the torrent of dark thoughts from choking her heart, crushing her spirit in their swirling depths. She told herself it wasn't true, that Aerith hadn't snuck out of their room to quietly join Cloud in his bed, obtaining the attention and warmth the former bartender so desperately desired. But even though she fought against those ideas, she couldn't stop picturing the two of them lying in one of the inn's twin beds together, Cloud's arm draped across Aerith's ribcage and hugging her close to his body, a gentle smile on her face as she slept soundly in his embrace.

The worst was in Nibelheim. Tifa had spent the day broken and disoriented upon learning that her hometown was exactly as she remembered it before the fire that left her disfigured and orphaned. Her body felt as though it was filled with lead as she and Cloud, along with everyone else, inspected their former homes for signs of change. Tifa's heart had dropped into her belly, heart rate sped up, as she questioned her memories. Had she really felt the heat of the fire singing her skin and filling her with dread? Had she really heard the screams of the innkeeper or Claudia Strife as they attempted to flee the burning buildings that had gone up in flames more rapidly than physically possible?

Cloud was the only person who could confirm what had happened, even though at the time Tifa didn't know _how_ he knew about Sephiroth destroying the town, since he hadn't been there at the time. He had stood silently beside her as they searched their childhood homes, occasionally picking up items to test if they were real.

That night, as Tifa struggled to sleep, trepidation filling her mind and making her question what she knew to be true and her own sanity, she found herself wanting to be alone with Cloud more than ever. The note they found on the desk in her childhood bedroom couldn't be true, she insisted. Could Shinra really have hired actors and rebuilt the town down to such minor details as the knick knacks in the Strife house and Tifa's plush toys? With everyone around them, she couldn't speak with Cloud to process what they had seen, though she could tell he was struggling with the information as well.

* * *

_Tifa sat up in bed, determined to seek him out and get to the bottom of everything surrounding the events from five years earlier, but when she swung her legs out from under the covers to reach the ground, she noticed Aerith was gone. The familiar burn of distress and jealousy stung her chest, coiling around her like a cobra's tail. She had to know._

_She left their room that night and padded down the hall, pausing at the boys' door to take a deep breath and prepare herself for the inevitable heartbreak. She pressed her ear against the door, but heard nothing, so she placed a hand on the knob and tried to twist it, finding the room locked._

_Defeated, she decided to take a walk to clear her head, thinking that at least the stars in Nibelheim couldn't have been replaced in the previous five years. She left the inn, feeling a sweep of crisp wind across her bare shoulders. She was wearing just her pajamas and hugged herself in an attempt to keep warm, taking a single step past the threshold of the inn before hearing the familiar lilt of Aerith's soft voice. Tifa looked to the water tower, where so many memories were kept, where promises were made, and goodbyes were said without any inkling of what the future would bring._

_She could partially see Aerith sitting on the wooden deck constructed around the tower, her knees bent and shins hanging off the edge, feet dangling gently. She was talking to something, though she was whispering so Tifa couldn't quite make out what she was saying. The martial artist tried to calm her racing heart as she stepped around the opposite side of the water tower, expecting to see the familiar brown boots of a certain ex-SOLDIER hanging next to Aerith's. She kept close to the base of the tower to avoid detection, but after she passed the point where she should have seen Aerith's companion and realized no one was there, she froze._

_"It's okay, Tifa, it's just me," Aerith said even though she couldn't yet see Tifa, as if she knew exactly why the bartender had ventured outside._

_That kind of insight frightened Tifa, making her wonder if Aerith could hear her thoughts among her many other talents and abilities. The brunette stepped forward to reveal herself officially and stood below the tower, looking up at Aerith._

_"What are you doing out here?" she asked, the relief in her voice shadowed by her confusion._

_Aerith didn't look down at her, instead continuing to scan the stars with a peaceful smile spread across her lips. She hummed, as if answering a question that Tifa had not asked._

_"Talking to the Planet," she said after a beat of silence._

_Of course._

_Tifa climbed up the water tower to sit next to her friend, drinking in the stars she had missed so much while living in the slums of Midgar._

_"Why now?" she asked._

_"Hmm? Oh, I've always done this at night, it's the only time I can really hear the cries of the Planet without people around," Aerith replied._

_The realization hit Tifa with the force of an oncoming freight train. All these months of worrying her new best friend was sneaking off at night to be with the man she loved but couldn't admit her feelings to; nights of disjointed sleep over envious thoughts and resentment – it was all wrong. Aerith hadn't been sneaking away to be with Cloud, she was listening to the Planet as part of her heritage as a Cetra. Tifa could have kicked herself for losing so much sleep over an unverified fear._

_"Is it tough?" Tifa asked._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Listening to the Planet, hearing all those cries, how can you make out any one voice?"_

_"Usually I can't, I can only hear people I'm connected to, like my mother, but if the Planet wants something bad enough, I'll hear the message."_

_Tifa hummed in response, not really understanding what Aerith was saying but too cold and tired to keep the conversation going. Just being in Nibelheim was giving her the creeps, calling to mind the train graveyard back in Sector 7. The place was haunting, but not in a ghostly sort of way. It was her memories that were haunted, speckled with uncertainty and threatening to consume her._

_"Everything will turn out okay, Tifa," Aerith said, as if she sensed what the martial artist was feeling._

_"What will?" she asked. Aerith smiled at her._

_"I'm tired, wanna turn in?" she asked, scaling down the water tower to reach the ground, where she dusted off her dress. Without waiting for Tifa to respond, Aerith began walking back toward the inn._

* * *

Tifa found it much easier to sleep while traveling after her encounter with Aerith in Nibelheim, but now that she had gotten used to her own bed – queen size, plush mattress, warm blankets – she found it more difficult to sleep fully elsewhere. Sure, she slept in Cosmo Canyon, but the air was dry, and the furniture creaked like she was in a log cabin in the woods, making it a fitful sleep.

She almost immediately crashed when she and Yuffie returned the night before, exhausted from two intercontinental journeys, days in an arid climate, and hours inside a musty cave without fresh air. Her beautiful truck had gotten pretty banged up on the trip and she would have to find someone to repair it, unable to handle the idea of one of her most prized possessions from Cloud ending up as an analogy for their broken relationship. Its once gleaming body lost its shine, now looking like it had driven through a war zone with all the scrapes and puncture marks from the fiends that tried to attack.

She usually unpacked when she got home, always wanting to keep her home constantly clean, but this time she just went upstairs, changed into pajamas, brushed her teeth, and collapsed on her bed, unsure how she even made it through the ritual. She didn't even know whether Yuffie stayed the night or decided to leave immediately upon their return.

She slept clear into Sunday, so it wasn't like she had to open the bar that night, and her thoughts were soon ragged with concerns as to whether Cloud was suffering like the fiends that contained Jenova cells.

It was already the afternoon when she first fluttered her eyes open to find herself in a well-lit room, gripping her pillow as if she were hugging another person: Cloud. Bands of sunlight streamed through the blinds on her bedroom windows, casting skewed mirror images of bright shapes on the floor beneath.

She knew Nanaki was trying to reassure her, but she found herself wanting to rush off to the Forgotten Capital without waiting for the others to meet her in Edge. She knew that was unwise, since the fiend population had exploded, particularly in the North. As it was, she and Yuffie were barely able to make the trip to and from Cosmo Canyon without a stash of supplies at their disposal, the near-constant fights draining their energy as they traveled.

Tifa had just a few days to prepare for Nanaki, Vincent, and Yuffie to meet her in Edge before they made the trek to the Forgotten Capital, a place now even more torturous than she could previously imagine. She wasn't looking forward to making the trip in her truck, really hoping the Highwind would be fixed by then so she wouldn't have to drive out and around Edge to the north, across the intercontinental highway that was probably filled with fiends, through Bone Village and the Sleeping Forest, before finally reaching the city that held just as many grievous memories for her now as Nibelheim.

She knew Cloud could ride his bike all the way to the lost city of the Ancients, but that was much faster than her truck and Cloud never seemed to get tired of his vehicle. He had probably made the trip in a single day since he didn't like stopping to rest.

_Cloud._

The information she learned in Cosmo Canyon was deeply troubling. His previous words and actions had hurt her, but if he were suffering from the same affliction as the fiends, he could be in serious trouble. She may have abandoned him when he needed her the most, even though his words stabbed her like a knife to the heart. Perhaps this trip back to the Forgotten Capital would give her a chance at redemption if he were truly injured or in distress, though the trepidation at seeing him again after what happened caused her heart to tumble. She hugged the pillow to her chest a little tighter and scrunched her eyes to stop the tears that were forming in the corners of her eyes.

 _Time to get up, Tifa_.

The marital artist shot up and looked around frantically, finding only the furniture in her room as her company. She could have _sworn_ she just heard Aerith's voice reassuring her. Nah, that was crazy, right?

Well, she was awake now, might as well look decent. She stretched her arms and yawned as if to greet the day – or afternoon – and slipped off her side of the bed to head into the bathroom. Just as it felt good to be back in her own bed, the floral scents of her carefully selected soaps soothed her after using cheap hotel versions in Cosmo Canyon. She let the hot water calm her aching muscles, letting the stress and the strain of her trip melt away from her as they disappeared down the drain along with the dirt and grime.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and finished her wash, her muscles feeling only marginally better. Sleep had helped, but days of fighting had taken its toll. Maybe she was getting old… at 22. No, that wasn't it. She wasn't just dealing with physical pain, but emotional turmoil as well. And it wasn't the jealousy and guilt she felt while chasing Sephiroth now, either. It was fear, concern, confusion, anger, and a number of other emotions she couldn't explain relating to Cloud _and_ Reno.

She turned off the water and dried herself, wrapping a towel around her long, wet hair. She wrapped herself in her red satin bathrobe and strolled into the kitchen for coffee, her moistened feet sticking slightly to the wooden floorboards as she walked.

"Now who's the late sleeper?" Yuffie asked childishly before taking a sip of her coffee. She was sitting at the kitchen island and her question seemed as if she had been planning to say it for a while, the satisfied grin on her face giving away her scheme.

Tifa nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard her friend's voice. She should have known Yuffie was still in the house, but she was surprised, nonetheless.

"It was a long week," Tifa replied, picking up the coffee pot and pouring herself a cup.

"Gonna see Reno soon?"

"Heading back to Wutai soon?" Tifa retorted, taking a sip from her mug. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh."

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah," she said, her eyes narrowing impishly. "I can tell you want the place to yourself," she added with a wink.

Tifa groaned.

"Yuffie, after everything we learned in the Canyon, I can't even _think_ about him right now," Tifa replied, her voice cracking as she felt her mouth dry out with the words. "I can't stop thinking that Cloud needs me right now."

"Of _course_ he needs you," Yuffie blurted, to Tifa's surprise. The admission caused the bartender to stiffen, bringing a hand to her chest as her eyelids drooped. "He's _always_ needed you. We all know that; even _he_ knows that, but he ran off instead."

"Yuffie…"

"Tifa, I don't know how to say this," the ninja began, her voice laced with concern, "but I don't think Nanaki's theory is right about Cloud." She paused, unsure how to tell her best friend what she saw as the truth. Tifa looked up from her coffee cup but didn't make eye contact with Yuffie, nor did she inquire further, too worried that Yuffie would remove the hope created by Nanaki. "I mean, if he were affected like the fiends, wouldn't he have been violent before he left?"

"I guess…" the martial artist replied, her words deflated as she remembered that Cloud had been far from violent in the six months he pulled away before leaving. Just the opposite, in fact; depressive, withdrawn, avoidant. If he had been raging, he hid it from her, which didn't seem consistent with the theory that the Lifestream caused monsters to become more violent.

"Well, was he?" Yuffie insisted.

"No…"

"Was he crazy horny?"

"Yuffie!"

"I'm sorry! But was he?"

"…no," Tifa responded, her thoughts drifting back to the incident that ended everything; the last night Cloud spent at Seventh Heaven, before he broke her heart officially and left. The dress. The heels. The humiliation. The heartache.

"Okay, then maybe he isn't being affected like the fiends."

"I don't know…" Tifa had to admit that Yuffie made some good points.

Nanaki's theory was that the Jenova cells in Cloud reacted to the Lifestream, but if that were the case, Cloud _would_ have been violent and over sexualized, when in fact he was the opposite – or at least, as far as Tifa knew.

She shuttered at the thought that Cloud was hiding a searing rage from her _and_ satiating himself elsewhere as he pulled away during those final months. That couldn't possibly have been the case, she thought, her stomach feeling empty as she stood silently in her kitchen. But if Cloud weren't handling those conditions apart from her, then Nanaki _couldn't_ be right about the Lifestream.

Yuffie continued to sit awkwardly at the kitchen island, unsure of what to say to her friend, who was clearly trying to process numerous possibilities at the moment; possibilities that all seemed to end in heartache.

"Are you okay?" she finally asked as Tifa had seemed to withdraw into herself. Her words snapped the bartender out of her pensive state, her eyes darting to the younger girls' in an attempt to seem more stable than she was.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," she lied. "I guess there's no way to know until we go to the Forgotten Capital."

"That'll be soon, in the meantime, try to take care of yourself, will ya?" Yuffie suggested.

"Of course, Yuffie," Tifa said with a forced smile that failed to reach her eyes. "Are you going back to Wutai before we leave?" Truth be told, she didn't want her friend to leave her right now, even if it was just for a few days.

"I probably should," she replied. "I have more materia I wanna bring if the fiends are gonna be anything like what we dealt with the past couple days."

Tifa nodded, finding her mind shifting focus to less stressful thoughts.

"How did you even get here, anyway?" she asked, suddenly realizing she never figured that out.

"Ninja powers," Yuffie said, demonstrating with a few quick air punches.

Tifa just shook her head. Yuffie seemed to traverse the world rather quickly for someone who didn't have a car or airship and who was prone to motion sickness. The bartender decided against pressing further. Let Yuffie have her secret.

"I was planning on heading home in a little bit, just gotta get packed," Yuffie offered after a few moments of silence.

"Take your time, I didn't mean to make it seem like I was kicking you out."

"I know, don't worry."

At least the ninja could take a joke.

* * *

True to her word, Yuffie left not too long after she finished her coffee, showered and dressed, and packed. Tifa waved goodbye from her front door as the young woman trotted off down the street toward the ladder that led to the rooftops with a backpack and her satchel of materia, not heading in a direction of any sort of public transportation.

Tifa closed the door to her bar and leaned back against it, resting the back of her head against the wood and shutting her eyes in an effort to keep out the dark thoughts. She had the rest of the day to herself – alone – and needed to keep busy to avoid thinking about Cloud.

She unpacked and cleaned her apartment, then the bar and checked its inventory. She would need to put in an order for some supplies but could manage a few days. She was out of the Turks' favorite scotch, but she didn't feel like fighting today. She'd grab it tomorrow on her way back from the theater.

The busy work did little to blunt her pessimism, though what Yuffie said did make sense. But if Yuffie were right, then Cloud wasn't affected by the Lifestream, at least not in the same way as the fiends, and his words to her in the Forgotten Capital months ago really were his feelings.

As the competing theories clashed in her brain, she felt heat in her chest as her fear began shifting into anger. She couldn't hold out hope that Cloud just needed her to fix him – again – and everything would be alright. How many times was she expected to do that before he truly became whole? Could she continue the cycle over and over again for the rest of their lives? Was that what it would take for him to love her?

She flopped back on her couch after everything was put in order, still tired from the trip home and worried about what she might find at the Forgotten Capital. She needed information and she needed it now, and, unfortunately, there was only one person she could get it from before heading to the northern continent. She closed her eyes in distress, her meandering thoughts turning from Cloud to Reno and what information he may be willing to share about the increase in fiend attacks.

She began overanalyzing the last text she sent to him, her thoughts slipping seamlessly from worry about Cloud to angst over the red-haired Turk and whether he would even agree to give her any information now. The last text she sent was so… clinical. He was clearly trying to flirt (or something) and she responded with "Nice photo" and an itinerary. The more she thought about it, the more she wished she had said something more flirtatious, like "Oh, natural redhead?" or even sent a photo of her own, though she'd never done something like that and wasn't anxious to start with _Reno_ since he'd probably share it at work or do something mortifying like posting it on a billboard somewhere. She had sent the text just before she and Yuffie left Cosmo Canyon, at a time when she was still fretting over Cloud, before the ninja's counter evidence made her reconsider, if only a little.

She'd never _had_ to do something like send a flirtatious or scandalous text before. She lived with Cloud and he was, initially, never away from her for too long, so if they were feeling romantic, they could just act it out in person. And they certainly did, at first. Somehow, putting Cloud's conscious back together reset his hormones to when he was a teenager. He would paw her back then. She couldn't walk past him without him pulling her in for a kiss or grabbing her ass or trying to tickle her. He'd join her in the shower, in the back room of the bar, even in her truck (while it was in the garage, of course). Years of pent up… aggression… seemed to pour out of him, and Tifa found herself sore for days on end, but her desire for him made her just as eager.

She just hoped that Nanaki was wrong about the Jenova cells. Cloud had fought the influence before and lost several times, and Tifa couldn't imagine what he was going through right now, all alone, possibly injured.

And just like that, she realized she was thinking about Cloud again, shaking her head to clear her thoughts and considering how she could get Reno to give up the information he owed her.

The text she sent Reno probably made him think she wasn't interested, but she at least answered, right? She hadn't done that at first… and he probably still remembered their encounter in Junon, though she figured he'd probably been with a handful of women in the time since.

As if the universe were reading her thoughts, she felt the familiar buzz of her PHS from her pocket.

"1 text message from Reno."

It's like he always _knew_ when she was thinking about him.

"Home yet, babe?" it asked.

Tifa considered answering. Then she considered _not_ answering because she hated when he called her "babe," but she needed to know what he found out in Junon, and she couldn't deny that she wanted to see him after everything that had happened the past few days.

If Yuffie was right about the Lifestream, then Cloud had really broken Tifa's heart and she needed to accept that. It was something she needed to be prepared for, and if what she learned from Reno confirmed that, then having him around would help her troubled psyche, since he'd been the only one in the past few months to make her feel lighter than air. Excited, even.

Reno had made her feel alive, been the only one to make her laugh so consistently, to comfort her so easily with just a simple, quiet embrace, and had made her body ache for attention. _His_ attention. Those feelings hadn't evaporated simply because a few old books in Cosmo Canyon held depressing information.

Still, she was exhausted from the past week, so she decided to nap before responding.

* * *

Reno was sitting in a bar (no surprise) with Elena and Rude, trying to figure out how he could broach the subject of surveilling Tifa without making Rude uncomfortable. The red-haired Turk was hunched over their table with his elbows resting on it, one arm bent into the air to hold up his drink just inches from his lips as he stared into the amber liquid inside, swirling it gently as if it would tell him the answer. Beneath the table, his legs were spread wide, his left heel tapping nervously as he considered their new assignment.

Surveilling Tifa sounded like the perfect assignment, at first, aside from the obvious strains it would place on his already fractured friendship with Rude. Spending hours at her bar, chatting her up, trying to get close to her – it all sounded like the perfect mix of business and pleasure, a way for Reno to show dedication for his job in a way he hadn't been able to in the years since Midgar fell. Old-fashioned surveillance work was preferable to standing around looking tough for Rufus or fighting fiends like a trainee, but the idea of bugging her home and all that entailed – breaking and entering, invading her privacy, and setting himself up for a potential future fallout – began plaguing his mind.

In the past, bugging some building was one of his favorite parts of the job; it was potentially dangerous, required stealth, and cemented their above-the-law status. Now, however, he thought about what would happen if Tifa found out and what devastating information he might learn from her conversations. He was all for the other aspects of the surveillance, and he was sure Rude was supportive as well, but Rufus had to go one step too far.

If it were up to Reno, they'd start working on the more agreeable surveillance techniques today, even though it was technically their day off. Did Turks _really_ have a day off? He couldn't just _suggest_ that to Rude, as it would look too obvious that he wanted to be around her. It might even look like he _liked_ Tifa, and he couldn't have that. But he did really want to see her. It had been a pretty agonizing week in Junon and then back in Edge while she was still away.

He considered faking an illness and starting the job himself, but he knew Rude would see right through his excuse. He _never_ got sick. He worked through all his raging hangovers in the past without a single complaint and had been perfectly fine all week. He might be able to get away with heading toward her home once everyone parted, but for now he'd have to wait, and he _hated_ waiting.

He wasn't even sure if Tifa was back in town, to be honest. He and Rude had gone to Seventh Heaven each night since Rufus gave them the assignment, but each time it had been closed. He sent that text a few hours ago but she hadn't responded yet, the anticipation nearly choking him. He also couldn't tell Rude and Elena that he _knew_ when she would be back in town because, well, they didn't know he had her number or that he had been talking to her outside of the conversations seen by his fellow Turks.

Reno felt his phone buzz in his pocket, which sent a little thrill up his leg, causing his foot tapping to momentarily stop as heat pooled in his belly, splintering out to his heart. He slowly moved his free hand off the table to remove his phone from his pants pocket without Rude or Elena noticing, acting as though he was going for an itch. He then pushed off ever so slightly from the table and hunched his back further to create a larger gap between his torso and the table. Holding his phone between his legs, he took a sip from his scotch and opened his PHS.

"1 text message from Tifa."

He tried to stifle a smile and took another sip to mask his jubilation as he pressed a button to open the message.

"Missing my tan lines?"

He just hoped his colleagues didn't notice the shiver that ran through his entire body, making his limbs twitch and a soft, but audible inward grunt as he felt his cock stiffen just a little at the thought of seeing her creamy white skin juxtaposed to warm brown tones. Of course, it was the lighter skin, untouched by the sun's rays, that he wanted to see the most, since it covered the most secluded parts of her body.

No matter what she said, it got him flustered. His mild sunburn had disappeared (at least Tifa didn't get to see much of _that_ ), but he now worried the other Turks would see him turn red after reading her text.

Rude seemed lost in thought. Elena seemed distracted by her phone. Who could _she_ be texting? Reno considered snatching her phone, but worried she'd return the favor. He was faster than her, but she had nails and didn't hesitate to use them.

He checked his watch: 7:30. Too early to suggest calling it a night. They were Turks, they _should_ be working surveillance right now, on someone, somewhere.

"Think we should swing by Seventh Heaven to see if she's back?" Rude asked.

_Oh, thank God._

Reno took another swig from his drink. Had to look like he was disinterested or too lazy. He yawned and stretched his arms up over his head – still holding his beverage – before setting the glass down and bringing his hands to rest on the back of his neck.

"Eh, might as well," he said nonchalantly, closing his eyes to emphasize how little he cared and crossing his ankles under the table.

Rude eyed him carefully, knowing Reno was putting on a show for his sake. The bald Turk thought he'd gotten over the whole Reno-Tifa thing in the past week, but he realized it was just because she wasn't around. Now he felt that white-hot jealousy welling up inside him as they paid their tabs. His nostril twitched into a sneer ever so briefly as he caught a glimpse of Reno's smirk when the redhead moved to stand up.

Elena… didn't seem to be paying attention.

"Who ya textin'?" Reno baited, leaning over to try and look at her phone once he was standing fully next to her.

"N-no one!" Elena said, a bit too defensively, nearly dropping her PHS at first in surprise before clutching it tightly to her chest.

Reno tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at her as she looked up at him with the face of a teenager who had just been caught by their parents. He had his suspicions about who she might be texting, judging from the rosy tint to her cheeks and guilty look in her eyes, but decided to leave it alone so he and Rude could get away. He tossed down some extra gil to cover Elena's tab so she could continue with whatever she was doing.

The two male Turks left the bar to travel the few blocks toward Seventh Heaven, stopping when they were just a few roofs away to avoid detection.

"You take the front and the side. I'll take the back," Reno told Rude.

The bald Turk nodded his head in agreement and kept to the shadows as he approached the front of the bar. The lights were off downstairs, but Rude could see a soft glow emanating from the upstairs windows. He tried to appear casual as he rounded the corner, knowing she couldn't see him and not wanting to appear suspicious to anyone brave enough to be out on the streets.

He approached one of the windows of the bar and peered in, able to see inside somewhat thanks to a nearby streetlight.

Nothing. Everything appeared in place for closing – the chairs were upside down on the tables, the liquor bottles were all facing forward, the glasses were all racked. No sign of anyone inside. Rude continued on down the street to meet up with Reno.

* * *

Reno had already slinked around to the back alley – now only his second-favorite alley in the world – and looked up at a lighted window upstairs. He had been able to climb up to the second floor awhile back to get into her bedroom, but that window was now dark – and closed. He could still use its sill to scamper up to the roof, but he figured she was more likely in the room with the window that was next to her bedroom, whose light was on. He could climb up to the bedroom window no problem, contemplating how he would then move across to the window he now stood under.

He navigated his way up to the bedroom window and hung there for a moment with his toes pressed against the wood siding. It was rough enough that he wouldn't slip, and he started to sidle over to the next window, his fingers carefully finding perch among the old wooden planks.

When he reached the other windowsill, he dropped his feet to hang, taking a moment to settle down to avoid suspicion from the noise he had already caused.

He listened a moment for any sounds coming from inside but heard none. He slowly began to pull himself up to see inside the window, taking care to avoid scuffing the side of the building and drawing attention to himself. He was able to see into her living room, noticing immediately that it was a good thing he hadn't let Rude take the back alley.

Tifa was lying on her couch with her back to the window, wearing her standard tank top and mini skirt with one knee bent upwards. She held her phone in her hands slightly above her head, and Reno could see that she had his picture up on her screen. He grinned. Her text about it being a "nice photo" was clearly an attempt to be coy. The photo had worked perfectly.

Reno continued to stare at her, hoping he'd get to see her do something with the photo (he was already imagining it in his head), but she just looked at it for a while. He dropped back to the alley below and swiped his hands together to clear the dirt he had collected when he heard footsteps rounding the corner, knowing Rude's gait anywhere.

"She home?" the bald man asked, arms folded across his chest as he took notice of the grin threatening to break free from Reno's hold.

"Yep," the redhead responded. "She's just chilling upstairs, yo, playin' on her phone."

He bit the insides of his cheeks to keep from smiling so wide his teeth showed. Surely Rude would see them in the moonlight.

"So?"

"So?"

"Let's get to it," Rude said.

Reno groaned, his voice a huff in the darkness, dreading what they were about to do but knowing he couldn't refuse. He buried his hands in his pockets and walked around to the side of the bar, helping Rude check the windows as they went and praying to Ramuh that Tifa couldn't hear their meddling upstairs. After discovering all the windows locked, Reno felt pride swell in his chest as his ego assumed it was because of him and his past sneaking. Locked windows were no problem for the Turks, though it did mean they wouldn't be able to enter the establishment tonight with her home.

Rude turned to Reno and sighed. "Can you get in?" he asked.

Reno could tell it pained his partner to ask that question, but he was a consummate professional through and through. So, Rude hadn't completely forgiven him, but at least Reno had an opening.

"I can try," Reno said, trying to make it seem like he didn't think it was possible.

He pulled out his phone and sent her a text, knowing the action would give him away and cause Rude to question how long the redhead had Tifa's phone number and how often they conversed via phone. The bald Turk brought a hand up to his face and lowered his sunglasses slightly, eyes narrowed on his partner as Reno's thumbs flew across the buttons on his PHS without hesitation. His relationship with Tifa clearly had been going on for a while, and Rude had to resist the urge to punch his partner again.

"And now we wait," Reno said, lacing his fingers behind his head without noticing Rude's consternation.

Rude folded his arms across his chest and lowered his head. He wanted to know how long Reno and Tifa had been texting, but he was trying to forgive his friend and move on. Still, it stung.

He heard Reno's phone vibrate and felt his own heart drop, a heavy weight within him keeping a barrier between himself and his best friend. He watched as the slender redhead opened the device and checked eagerly.

"She said the bar opens tomorrow," Reno said glumly.

Rude snorted in amusement. Perhaps there wasn't as much between them as he thought.

"Works for me," he said, turning back to the street where a small pack of Kalm fangs were rummaging through garbage across the road.

Rude had actually hoped Reno wouldn't be invited in, unsure he could handle that just yet. Tomorrow would be better anyway; they could unlock a window while in the bar and come back later to easily get inside and bug the place. He really didn't want to break a window, it'd be too obvious.

"Call it a night?" Reno asked as he shoved his hands back into his pockets and hunched over, dejected.

Rude checked his watch. Still pretty early, but an early night never killed anyone.

"I suppose," he said as the pair started walking away from Seventh Heaven and back toward the rooftop ladder next door.

Reno pulled out a cigarette and lit it up as they climbed above the streets, the sounds of fiends clashing ringing throughout the city. The slums of Midgar were loud at night, but Topside had always been relatively quiet except for the sounds of cars and normal city noises. The fiends of Edge reminded him of his childhood in the slums, erratic and dangerous. He and Rude stopped when they reached the place where they typically separated, an air of distrust hovering between them.

"When do you want to meet up tomorrow?" Reno asked, trying to hide his timidness. He rubbed the back of his head nervously as he waited for his partner's response, the tension between them hot and sticky despite the cooling Edge weather.

"Nine," Rude said stiffly. "Bartenders are not on a normal schedule."

"Sounds good, buddy, see you then," Reno said, giving Rude a pat on the back he hoped would signal he wanted things to be okay between them.

The two parted ways and Reno started walking toward his home, sucking in tobacco as he again considered how he had mistreated his partner. Now Rude knew Reno had Tifa's phone number, which brought any number of additional issues between them. Reno supposed he could have hidden that nugget of information from Rude a little longer and simply knocked on Seventh Heaven's front door, but if Tifa answered and allowed him inside it would probably hurt Rude even more.

Reno crossed a few more rooftops and turned back to be sure Rude was far enough away before he changed direction and trotted back toward Seventh Heaven, skillfully avoiding some dying guard dogs looking for a fight just beyond the ladded her used to descend from the rooftops near Seventh Heaven.

He arrived back at Tifa's bar within minutes, making sure he wasn't being followed or detected, and knocked on the front door. He pulled out his phone and sent her a text: "Downstairs, yo," just to be sure.

He hated lying to Rude, but he needed to see her. Spending a full week away from her was just too hard at this point, and his nerves were frayed from lacking the satisfaction he received simply being near her. He supposed it was because other women just couldn't satisfy him anymore.

Tifa had been fine on her own that day. She didn't spend it wallowing in loneliness despite her wayward thoughts, but when a text from Reno came while she was looking at his picture, she was excited just enough to make what she knew she would come to see as a bad decision.

She padded down the stairs, turning on the lights to the bar at the bottom, and opened the door to find Reno leaning against the outside frame, one arm resting on the wood above his head, his right ankle crossed over his left; his whole demeanor easy and detached.

"Hey babe," he said coolly, casually tossing the butt of his cigarette out of view.

"Hello," Tifa responded in a warm tone to deflect his relaxed attitude, which made her insides jump with the nervousness that he either didn't really want to be here or expected some action due to the late hour.

Standing there, he could have been modeling for some expensive suit company – the perfectly tailored fit of the jacket and pants, his shirt unbuttoned down to his chest, and the wild, untamed red hair moving gently in the night breeze. His facial expression, however, was unexpected, as he looked disinterested; like it had been a burden for him to come over.

Tifa brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, nervous that his behavior toward her had changed, given the flirtatious texts he had sent over the past week. Reno took a few steps toward her, passing her on his way into the bar and glancing around like he expected to find someone else inside. Tifa was forced to step back out of his path as he ignored her, the familiar woodsy scent of his cologne filling her nostrils and reminding her of all the times he had held her. She closed the door behind him but stayed where she was as she waited to see what he was doing. After the door clicked shut, Reno turned back toward her, his gaze meeting hers, before strolling purposefully back toward her and lifting his hands up to her face to bring her lips to his in an aggressive kiss.

"Dammit, yo, I can't go a week without kiss—, er, _seeing_ you," he revealed, his cool façade cracking as his desire bubbled to the surface.

Nice save.

She smiled her trademark simple, sweet smile as her nerves calmed, relaxing as she realized he couldn't keep up that act around her for too long.

Reno spun on his heel, aided by the smooth floor, and walked to the bar to sit on his usual stool, hiding his mirth as he tried to calm his hormones. Tifa instinctually walked – nearly skipping – to her place behind the bar as if he were just a customer and she were just his bartender; two people with a purely transactional relationship who never gave a second thought to each other. She absentmindedly reached for his favorite bottle of scotch before realizing she was out, whipping around and leaning against the liquor cabinet with her hands gripping its counter.

"I'm sorry, I'm out of your scotch," she said, a little frantically.

Reno's scotch. He and Rude were the only ones willing to shell out the money to drink it, but suddenly she was calling it _Reno's_. The money the Turks spent on it did more than pay for a new bottle, so in a way she could argue it did belong to them.

Reno huffed and started to stand up from his stool.

"Guess I'll be leavin' then," he said, halfway off his stool before he caught her expression. Tifa almost looked as if she accepted his statement. "I'm kidding, yo," he said, sitting back down and settling in. "Just give me whatever. Booze is booze. I'm here for the company."

Tifa smiled again and turned around to find her second-most expensive bottle of scotch, which was rarely touched. Her regular customers were not, as you'd say, picky. They were more of a beer and bourbon crowd, with the occasional request for a simple cocktail even though she came up with fancy spirit recipes and advertised them each week. She mechanically grabbed a glass from the shelf and spun it in her hand to set it down upright before opening the bottle and pouring a drink with a flourish. She turned to Reno and gently set the glass down in front of him, one hand placed on her hip as she swayed while stepping toward the bar. He picked up the drink and tilted the glass toward her as a "cheers" before taking a sip.

Tifa waited as Reno let the liquid swish in his mouth to discover its full taste profile. It wasn't as smooth as his regular bottle, but it was better than the shit he had to endure at other bars. She watched him nod his head in approval and take another sip before she placed her elbows on the bar, hands clasping her opposite arms, and leaned slightly toward the redhead in order to capture his attention before speaking.

His eyes first landed on her breasts, where the fabric of her tank top stretched across her form as her chest was pushed up by her arms. Realizing that he was being too obvious, he quickly tilted his head upward to meet her crimson irises, which were sparkling under the light of the bar and instantly filled him with a kind of homey warmth he had never experienced before. Staring into her eyes, in that moment, made him feel like warm chicken noodle soup, comforting and stable, like he belonged right where he was.

"So, what did you learn in Junon?" she asked just as he was beginning to melt underneath her glow. It brought him back into the present, shifting whatever familial thoughts he had in his head right out the door as he realized he had been played.

"Right to business, I should have known," he replied, one corner of his lips curling upward in a smirk to hide the melancholy that had unexpectedly pierced his heart. Of _course_ that's why she agreed to see him so soon after her return. She couldn't possibly have missed him like he had missed her.

The revelation caused his spirits to dip, if only briefly. _He_ wasn't the one who would catch feelings, and he remembered that all he had missed was the feel of her breasts and the taste of her lips, nothing more. Certainly not her beautiful face or her smile or her apparent concern for his well-being or her wit.

"It looks like the Lifestream pissed off the fiends and made them horny," Reno said, switching back to Turk mode to push any other thoughts from his mind. "Rufus said Jenova cells were what made them so vicious."

"And fiends all have Jenova cells in them…" Tifa added, trailing off.

"Yeah, but the weird thing is that it doesn't look like humans were affected," Reno continued. "I got mako injections but I'm not destroying cities and breeding like some wild jumping."

"Oh? You're not?" Tifa asked with a sly smirk, catching Reno off guard. Was that a note of relief he detected in her voice?

"None of the SOLDIERS stationed outside Midgar have shown any signs of this shit, either," he continued, before taking a long pause and rubbing his neck. "But…"

"Hmm?"

Reno looked up to the ceiling and exhaled. He knew what he needed to say, but didn't know how Tifa would react and whether it would change the dynamic of their relationship.

"Ah," he stammered. "There's only one human alive that we know of who was injected with Jenova cells…"

"…Cloud," Tifa finished his sentence for him. Reno nodded.

Reno's information seemed to confirm what she had learned in Cosmo Canyon, but also what Yuffie suggested. While the fiends of the world were getting violent, Cloud became despondent. And he certainly wasn't romantic.

Tifa felt her blood beginning to boil just a little; a low simmer just under the surface, a nagging feeling at the back of her neck. Humans didn't seem to be affected, and Cloud hadn't acted the way the fiends were before he left; again, just the opposite. She felt heat rise to her chest and she stood up straight, keeping her arms wrapped around her ribcage to keep her fists from trembling.

She twitched, her mind flooded with anger and resentment in place of the sorrow she usually felt when thinking about Cloud. He left her. Whatever his other problems were, he left her and refused to let her help him. He abandoned her, after everything she had done for him, from nursing him back to health in Midgar to saving his life countless times to putting his _Godsdamned_ brain back together in Mideel. None of that mattered to him.

Reno sensed her change in attitude and stiffened, unsure whether she was angry at Strife or the information _he_ had just provided.

"That bastard…" Tifa mumbled under her breath, and Reno had to force himself not to grin.

She was finally coming around to his way of thinking. Strife was a pansy who didn't deserve her, with deep psychological issues that made Reno constantly question why so many women seemed entranced by the guy.

"Pour yourself one, I'll pay for both," he suggested, motioning toward her with his glass of scotch.

Tifa considered his offer, knowing it wouldn't just be one drink and not wanting to lower her inhibitions when she was alone with a man like Reno, at least not again. Her memories of Junon hadn't dampened much while she was in Cosmo Canyon. Still, she supposed one glass of Corel wine wouldn't hurt. At the very least, it would dull her senses and keep her from getting pissed off. She grabbed a wine glass from the shelf and filled it halfway, immediately taking a large sip to calm her raging nerves.

The alcohol hit her exactly as she hoped, feeling her vexation dissipate, returning to her original state of appreciative calm. She found herself studying Reno in those moments, thinking back over the past few months and how their relationship had changed from villainous to virtuous and maybe even a little beyond. He simply stared into his glass of scotch with an unreadable expression on his face while she noted the way his shoulders slumped as he ran his finger around the rim of his glass, propping his chin up with his opposite fist. He seemed so peaceful, unconcerned with the struggles of the universe, or anything else for that matter, and she instantly envied him. She wished she could let things go like he seemed to, ignoring troubles as easily as flicking one's own wrist, laughing them off and never thinking about them again.

She wasn't even used to sitting on the stools at her own bar, so she continued to stand behind the counter as if she were working, leaning back over it toward Reno as she continued to sip her alcohol, though she slowed down her imbibing considerably after that first taste.

"Take a seat, yo," Reno said, patting the stool next to him. Rude's usual seat.

Tifa hesitated. There was an intimacy in sitting next to someone at her own bar counter, as she had only joined Cloud or the other members of AVALANCHE in doing so. Sitting next to Reno somehow cemented their budding relationship, creating a reality that she could still plausibly deny existed. He continued to tap the stool and looked into her ruby eyes with a kind of boyish charm she wasn't used to coming from him, somehow vulnerable yet in command.

After another moment, Tifa obliged and walked around the bar to approach the stool, but before she could pull it out to sit, Reno reached out to grab her by the waist and pull her against him. She stumbled and nearly dropped her glass, suddenly finding herself with the side of Reno's head against her breasts.

Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be anything sexual about his actions, appearing as though he simply wanted to hold her and feel her warmth against his own. She held her arms out to her sides, elbows bent slightly, unsure at first what she should do in response, imagining this was how Reno _and_ Cloud had felt the first time she reached out to embrace either of them.

When he didn't immediately let her go or move his hands to a more obscene part of her body, Tifa reflexively began to stroke the spikes of his hair, as she had done with Cloud so many times over the years. Reno's hair was surprisingly soft, something she hadn't expected given his carefree attitude and impossibly high spikes. Then again, Cloud's hair was also always soft, like the chest feathers of a chocobo. They must use the same hair tonic. Her fingers lightly combed his locks as Reno relaxed into her, his body settling against her almost as if he needed her to hold him up.

"Rough day?" Tifa asked in a low voice, peering down at the top of Reno's head, his goggles pressed into her sternum and slightly off kilter. She couldn't imagine that he had experienced anything as traumatic as she had the past week, yet his embrace didn't seem as though he was comforting her, rather, that _he_ needed the commiseration.

He tightened his grip around her, digging his fingertips into her back and gently nuzzling his head between her breasts, though again, it didn't feel sexual.

"Rough week," he admitted into her bosom.

Tifa couldn't believe that he had opened up to her at all about his work. The Turks were a closely guarded bunch, and though Reno was more emotional than the others (mostly anger, however) he still never expressed what he thought of his job. Sure, he'd mentioned a little of his childhood before, but his life as a Turk still seemed off limits.

"What happened?" Tifa asked, though she didn't think she'd get a real answer.

"Nothing," he responded. "Literally nothing."

"That sounds like a safe week in your line of work."

"Exactly. I hate 'safe.'"

A smile formed on Tifa's lips and quickly disappeared. She couldn't imagine anyone else being upset that they didn't have a near-death experience for a week. She wouldn't tell him about her own week, how she was nearly poisoned to death by a giant stinger in a cave beneath Cosmo Canyon. She couldn't risk him finding out why she was there and potentially notifying Rufus.

"You Turks must be the only people who feel that way," she said.

He tried to lift his head to look into her eyes, but the position he had chosen initially did not allow him to see anything but part of her breast. He wasn't complaining.

"I thought you AVALANCHE types lived for danger," he said.

Tifa chuckled like a mother whose child had just asked a silly question.

"Maybe some of them were like that, but I never was," she said. "I mean, not truly."

Reno loosened his grip on her waist and pulled away, leaving his hands to rest on the small of her back, his fingers outstretched and his pinkies slipping beneath the waistband of her skirt.

"Huh," he said. "I guess I got a different impression during our fights."

He grinned and looked up at her. She laughed.

"I'm sure it certainly _looked_ like I lived for danger when I was kicking your ass," she responded.

"Kicking my ass? Honey, I _let_ you win."

"Oh, you did, did you?" she asked with a wicked half-smile and a cocked eyebrow, the anger she felt earlier completely evaporated and replaced with levity.

Reno stood up, never moving his hands off her back, and pulled her close to him once more before sliding his hands down to grip her rear end with a quick squeeze, causing Tifa to yelp.

"I just didn't want to hurt that pretty little ass of yours," he cooed, looking down into her disbelieving eyes. "But if you wanna take me on, I'm all for it."

He was now grinning from ear to ear, but he couldn't trick her. She pulled back out of his grip and raised her index finger as if warning him, a little shocked at his brazenness, though she had always assumed he would pull a move like that at some point. Honestly, she was more surprised that he _hadn't_ simply grabbed her ass until now.

She knew she should be irked at his violation, and maybe it was the small amount of alcohol she had consumed or the indignation she felt over Cloud, but she actually felt heat rise to her cheeks instead.

"Watch your hands," she informed him, unable to allow the breach to go unmentioned, even if it did excite her more than infuriate her. "And don't think for one second that I don't know why you want to fight me."

"Oh, come on, spar with me. I'll even turn the mag rod setting down," he pleaded, that devilish grin returning to his face.

"You really think you could beat me?" Tifa asked, just a little curious as to how they would have matched up without other Turks or AVALANCHE members around.

"I don't think, I know," he baited, one eyebrow flicking upward.

Tifa narrowed her eyes at him. She knew what he was doing, but some part of her felt her pride had been attacked. The Turks always gave up when fighting her and AVALANCHE; there was no way he could defeat her one-on-one.

"Fine," she sighed. "But no using pyramid, no using the mag rod _there_ , no materia, and we stop before someone gets seriously injured, alright?"

Reno was all for it.

"Whatever you want, my dear," he said as he carefully removed his gloves and jacket and draped them neatly over his barstool before rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. Tifa watched as he did so, enamored by the look of a man in a dress shirt with rolled up sleeves. He was somehow professional and casual at the same time, preparing for business while showing off his toned forearms and bony wrists. Something about the image caused heat to pool in Tifa's belly, a small jolt of stimulation right to her most sensitive area and causing her cheeks to redden.

She turned from him quickly to push a table toward the wall, realizing what a bad idea it was to fight such a skilled attacker in her place of business but knowing that an indoor spar would cause less suspicion than an all-out brawl outside. To her surprise, Reno helped move furniture out of the way, and she couldn't help but notice the way his veins protruded from his forearms as his muscles constricted with the lifting.

She shook her head and pulled out her Premium Heart, stretching the battle-worn gloves over her hands, making sure Reno could hear the crackling of the leather. Reno unhooked his mag rod and snapped his wrist, extending the weapon and powering it up while lowering the setting to what he affectionately referred to as "pleasure." Tifa winced just at the sight and sound of the electricity flowing through the weapon, unable to forget the electricity coursing through her veins or the sinful way her body reacted when he turned the intensity down in Nibelheim.

She bent her knees and placed one foot behind her to get into her fighting stance, bringing her fists up to prepare for battle. Reno also loosened up, seeminglly unconcerned with an official battle stance, though he did appear to be sizing her up and remembering what attacks had worked well in the past. For that, however, Reno was at a significant disadvantage, since his first fight with Tifa involved him repeatedly trapping her in a pyramid and during his second battle he was too turned on to really take stock of her weaknesses.

He held up his hand toward her with his palm up and bent his fingers, inviting her to make the first move and signaling that he was ready to fight.

Tifa lunged at him, jumping into the air and slamming into him foot-first, knocking him back and reminding him of all the pain Rude had inflicted on his face after he found out about him and Tifa. The injuries had healed thanks to a hi-potion he had taken after leaving Junon, but the length of time between the punch and the cure left him plenty of time to experience the pain.

Before Reno could get up, Tifa had him pinned to the ground, straddling him at the waist and lifting him up by the collar of his shirt, her hand balled into a fist and pulled back into the air, ready to punch.

Reno smirked at how quickly she had knocked him off balance. Even Strife had failed to do that until after they had exchanged quite a few blows. He also couldn't ignore the fact that she was on top of him just like in his fantasy from the other day, and glanced down quickly to see the white fabric of her panties underneath her skirt. White cotton and lace encircled by black leather, something he couldn't have ignored even if he didn't want to ogle her, and he felt his pants grow a little tighter.

The chance to prove he could beat her in a fight quickly lost its former pertinence and he reached out to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her down against him. She struggled, still in fight mode, so he grabbed her wrists in his hands and held her arms behind her back.

"I think I win," he whispered.

Tifa jolted at his words and broke out of his hold, jumping back to her feet and raising her hands in front of her face defensively.

"I don't think so," she growled.

She again reached for him, this time delivering a series of blows to his chest and causing him to take a few steps back. He reached out with his mag rod and drove it into her side, sending a subdued wave of electrical currents into her ribcage that crackled and fragmented throughout her body. It wasn't the pain she was used to from the device, but it was enough to cause her to cry out, perhaps because she anticipated a much greater shock.

She batted the electro-mag rod away and dropped to a crouch on the floor, sweeping her leg toward him and dropping him to the ground once again. Instead of pinning him and giving him another opening, she reached down to pull him up by the collar and then slammed him to the ground again, the nearby furniture wobbling from the reverberating impact.

Reno sputtered a moment before grinning at Tifa and leaping up to rush toward her, lowering his shoulder into her stomach to push her back into the wall before again bringing his mag rod to her side. She struggled and kicked against him as he pinned her to the wall, trying to at least avoid the electricity. She wasn't used to his brute strength, having mainly experienced his weapon and magic during their previous fights, but she couldn't deny that he was strong, maybe even as strong as Cloud even though he was so lanky.

She lifted a leg, bending her knee and pressing her foot into his chest, flinging him backward as she landed gracefully back on the ground. He again lunged for her, pressing her up against the wall before she could dodge and grabbing her face in his hands to kiss her. At first she struggled against him, as she was still ready to fight, but she soon removed her hands from his chest and reached up to cup his face with one hand while resting the other on the back of his neck.

They were both breathing rapidly as the fight turned into a passionate make-out session, each seemingly still fighting the other with their tongue. Reno reached behind her neck to grab her hair and pull it down so that he had access to her neck; kissing, then nipping, then sucking, and occasionally even straight up biting her skin from her neck to her shoulder, giving special attention to her pulse point. She moaned and brought one leg up to wrap around his waist as she had done back in Junon, her knee resting just above his hip bone. He gladly lowered one hand to hold her upper thigh while snaking his fingers toward the edge of her panties.

This was it, Tifa thought, the moment she was making the worst decision of her life. Going any further with Reno would necessarily revoke her AVALANCHE membership – not to mention amount to spitting on the graves of Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge.

She clawed at the back of Reno's head as she felt his thumb glide over the front of her panties to feel her sweet spot, already damp with desire. She felt him smile against her neck as his index finger slid along the edge of her underwear, teasing her with entrance.

"Tell me what you want, yo," he breathed into her ear, his voice heady.

And Tifa honestly didn't know. _Physically_ her body wanted more, but her mind just couldn't get past the fact that this was _Reno_. What was happening was torturous, but she didn't know how much further she could go without completely hating herself. So far, over the course of many months, she had allowed him to feel her breasts and kiss her – but the idea of allowing him access to her most sensitive area right now was too horrifying. Maybe she could turn the tables and make him uncomfortable for a change, if that was even possible?

"I want…" she whispered back into his ear, finding it difficult to speak as his fingers threatened to defile her. "I want… to see what's in that picture…"

It was the safest thing she could ask for, honestly. It would keep him from getting too close to what he ultimately wanted but might show whether he was really willing take things at her pace. He pulled away from her and grinned as she slowly lowered her foot back to the floor and adjusted her skirt, holding her knees together in embarrassment.

"Do you now?" Reno teased, drawing a nod of agreement from Tifa.

His smirk turned smug as moved to oblige her, unbuttoning the last few buttons of his dress shirt while pressing his hips into hers back against the wall. Tifa could see his lean physique, every muscle of his torso and almost every bone as well, his skin pale and thin, accented by numerous patches that shimmered differently under the light. She ran her finger down his chest, taking care to feel the outlines of his abdominal muscles and trace a few of his scars until she reached his belly. She then slowly, with just the tip of her fingers skimming his body, traced the line of neatly trimmed hair from his belly to his belt, her eyes fixated on the trail as her insides summersaulted.

He was almost as narrow as she was, with skin stretched over his hip bones that stuck out from his thin frame and those "V" muscles pointing her in the direction that she wanted to explore.

He waited patiently as she weighed her options, the anticipation exciting him and causing him to torture himself by not simply throwing her to the ground and taking her as he wanted. He threw his head back and closed his eyes, letting the trail of her fingertips ignite his craving, not noticing how her eyes locked on his belt buckle and the hair that disappeared underneath.

Was she crazy? She suddenly found herself breathing far more rapidly than she had been. She was panicking but fighting through it, running through the sequence of events that led her from mining him for information to now. She wanted this, and she had to stop worrying about Cloud. If Cloud loved her, he never would have left in the first place, never would have taken her for granted, or shut her out, or let his demons take control and refuse her help.

Reno, on the other hand, had defied her expectations, keeping his promise to tell her what he learned from Shinra and providing her the comfort she so sorely lacked.

She hesitantly brought her hands to his belt buckle, rubbing her thumb over the face of it as she stalled – partially to gather her own resolve, but also to torture him as he had done to her so often. His loins tensed when she unbuckled his belt and she could see his erection twitch underneath his pants.

He lurched his head forward as she attended to his buckle, surprised she was actually following through with this. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected this evening to take such a turn. She lifted her head to look him in the eye as she lazily felt around for the button on his pants. His eyes were dilated and intense, staring back at her with a feral gaze that begged her to keep going, the speckles of mako shining brightly in his irises.

Unbuttoning his pants allowed her to see more of his happy trail, and she felt her own insides tense with desire. She kept her eyes trained on the line of hair as she slowly unzipped his fly, following the trimmed curls down to the hem of his underwear. He let out a moan as she pulled his pants down to his thighs before they fell to the ground, revealing his black boxer briefs underneath. Tifa could see the outline of his member now, angled up and to the side, the tip poking out above the waistband of his boxers near his hip, blush creeping across her cheeks.

She admittedly didn't have much experience with men, but she hadn't expected Reno to be so… big. Yuffie had been right, his long, lean frame translated into a long member. Not that Cloud was small, by any means, but Reno did have him beat in that department. Tifa assumed this must be why Reno was so confident around most women.

Reno was finding it difficult to let her keep going without pawing at her. He wanted her to explore him, but he was really hoping she would be a bit quicker. She was still fully clothed, so all he could focus on was her tank top and imagine what those perky breasts of hers looked like naked. He considered himself lucky that Tifa had even gone this far with him, especially after their conversation earlier, so he was especially surprised when he felt her fingernails sliding along the edge of his boxers, just above the base of his shaft. He thought for a moment that perhaps he had left Seventh Heave after telling Tifa what he learned in Junon and was now asleep in his bed and dreaming – it was the only explanation. All Tifa said was that she wanted to _see_ what was in the picture he had sent her; he hadn't expected her to be teasing him or wanting to see _more_.

He had long ago let go of any embarrassment he had over the color of his pubic hair, the same scarlet color as the hair on his scalp, as it never stopped a woman from moving forward with him before. Sure, he would get comments, sometimes even gasps, but his reputation preceded him, and whatever initial hesitation the women may have experienced was quickly forgotten as he continued with their foreplay.

Yet now those fears were creeping back up his spine, since he was merely standing in the Seventh Heaven bar as Tifa slowly undressed him. They were no longer kissing and he didn't think the situation would advance much further. He didn't know what to do; usually at this point he would be removing the woman's clothes and sucking on her nipples, keeping her occupied elsewhere and unable to concentrate too long on the shock of vermillion between his legs.

He let out a low, breathy moan as he felt the fabric of his boxers sliding down along his skin, his cock bouncing upward upon its release. He looked down to watch Tifa's eyes widen as she looked upon his erect member, the same look all women had when they first saw his full size: Shock and hunger. He was quite proud of it.

Still, the fact that he was now fully exposed in a public, but empty, establishment next to a woman who was still completely covered began to weigh on him in a way he hadn't expected.

"Uh, babe?" he asked her, his voice quaking. "I'm feelin' a little underdressed here."

He looked down between them, his pants and underwear around his ankles and the only stitch of clothing on his body an unbuttoned dress shirt whose hem reached just a couple inches under his scrotum, covering nothing.

The bar may be empty and the window shades may have been closed, but that didn't detract from his sudden feelings of being on display. He had always been proud of his body, would have gladly walked naked through the streets of Midgar to show off his impressive physique, but right now he felt like he was naked in front of the former Shinra executives against his will. It was a feeling as if he were one of Hojo's experiments, being poked and prodded and not treated as human, even though that's not what Tifa was doing at the moment.

But Reno had never been so outmatched. At any moment, Tifa could walk away and leave him quite literally hanging and on the path to a wretched case of blue balls. Knowing how sweet and innocent she was, she probably wouldn't even know she was doing it, and he would be left standing shamefully out in the open.

"Umm…" she stammered, wondering what she could offer that wouldn't lead to sex.

Reno's confidence was shaking, and he needed to even the score, so he pressed himself back against her to the wall, probing her mouth with his tongue and letting his left hand cup her breast. She relented without protest, her back against the wooden wall and her lips locked with his, hot and moist. She again lifted her leg to his now bare hip, and he shifted to allow the tip of his cock to gain access beneath her skirt. Tifa let out a breathy gasp as she felt his tip press against her damp center, attempting to enter her if it were not for the lace barrier that covered her entrance. She felt the same sensation she had in the dream all those months ago and knew Reno could tell how wet she was, her body set aflame by his touch.

His hand moved from her breast to the hem of her tank top, his fingers flirting with the edge of the fabric and daring her to reject his advances.

"I, umm," she stammered again, removing her lips from his and bringing her hands down to stay his.

"Seriously?" Reno asked, genuinely thinking that she would at least let him under her shirt considering he was naked before her.

"I'm sorry, it's just that…" she sounded afraid, just as she had in Costa del Sol when he had tried to get under her bikini, her words laced with self-consciousness.

Reno let his hand drop to her waist, worried that her hesitance would be the end of the evening and he would be left standing in front of her, flaccid.

"What's wrong?" he asked, barely above a whisper as his lips traced the shell of her ear, trying to salvage what he could. "You got nothing to be ashamed of in that department, Lockhart."

She leaned into him and shuttered as his tongue darted out to tease her and trail kisses down to her earlobe. As he moved on to her neck, she placed her hands on his shoulders, working up the courage to repay him. Reno, however, took it as a sign that he would be working through another fantasy tonight if he wanted to finish what he had started, utterly mortified by what had transpired.

Tifa wrapped her arms around her waist and hugged herself, still leaning against the wall as she looked down at her boots, torn between moving forward with Reno and running up the stairs to hide. Even considering what she may be about to do was beyond anything she had ever done with anyone other than Cloud, and though Reno made her feel secure, she couldn't ignore the discomfort.

But Cloud was gone, and Reno was right here, right now, offering her a path forward. He'd accepted her rejection before, and she no longer wanted to reject him, she was just afraid of how he would react when seeing her disfigurement.

She met his aquamarine eyes, filled with something hovering between dread and concern, and exhaled the breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"Um, I just want to warn you," she began, feeling her heartbeat against her chest so strongly she was sure he could hear it, "when I was 15…"

Reno tilted his head as she spoke, his interest piqued that even if he didn't get anywhere physical with her, he was about to learn why and have the option to figure out how to work around the issue in the future.

"Sephiroth… he… came to Nibelheim and…"

Reno's eyes widened at her admission. He knew Sephiroth had gone to Nibelheim when Tifa was 15 and burned the town down, he had read it in her file and knew about the incident from Shinra, he just didn't expect it to be blocking him at this moment. What had Sephiroth done to her besides destroy her town that would make her not want Reno to see her tits? Had he…?

"I have a scar," Tifa finally blurted out, shaking Reno from his thoughts.

He blinked and caught her stare, so innocent and full of serious concern that if she didn't warn him, he would freak out. He almost wanted to laugh, the idea that something like _that_ would keep him – or any other man for that matter – from wanting to see Tifa Lockhart's tits tickling his insides. But he suppressed the urge, seeing how seriously she was taking this admission.

Instead, he moved his free hand up to her face and forced her to keep his gaze, which was warmer than she had ever seen it before.

"Hey, no biggie," he said. "We all got scars, yo."

Forgetting for a moment that his pants were around his ankles, Reno twisted to the side and held back his open shirt to show Tifa his ribcage, each bone visible, along with a long scar the crossed several of them. It glimmered under the light like the other scars she had noticed when he unbuttoned his shirt, smooth and paler than the rest of his skin, with distinct edges that were similar to the ones on her own scar.

"Got this one from the man myself," he said, tracing a finger along the blemish.

Before she had a chance to respond, he turned turned to his other side, which contained four long, thick lines of scars.

"And this was from a damn gagighandi outside Gongaga when we were waiting for your fine ass to show up," he continued, as if he were just showing her points on a map, no different than a geography lesson.

He twisted around until his back was nearly to her, the movement made slightly awkward by the location of his clothing, and shrugged his shirt down to his elbows to reveal his left shoulder, where Tifa could see the end of what looked like a pretty massive scar that ran down his entire back.

"Oh, and _this_ one was from your boyfriend at the top of the pillar," he said with some degree of malice.

"None from me?" she asked, her tone now light and easy, apparently missing or ignoring his comment about Cloud.

Reno smiled. _Check mate_.

"Hah, of course," he said before turning to her and lowering his head so that she could see the back of his hair above his ponytail.

He grabbed her wrist and moved his free hand to the back of his head, one finger searching through his locks until he found what he was looking for and raising her hand.

"Feel right there," he said, releasing her wrist and waiting as she found the small, hairless patch of unnaturally smooth skin that was invisible to the naked eye but noticeable to the touch.

"I did that?" Tifa nearly giggled, the mirth returning to her voice.

"Yeah, you did," Reno replied, standing back up and falling forward to pin her to the wall again with one hand against the wood beside her head. He was painfully aware that his erection was gone and trying to keep Tifa from noticing until he could show her his full size once again. "You got that one in before I got a pyramid around ya."

Tifa snickered, a little proud of herself that she had left him with a lasting mark. She leaned back against the wall and brought a hand up to the back of his neck, her eyes meeting his with a sensual glow.

Reno knew he had her then. The smile disappeared from her face and was again replaced with a look of trepidation as she removed her hand from his neck and brought both to the hem of her tank top.

"Okay…" she said before taking a deep breath and slowly lifting the garment up, struggling to get it over her breasts before finally releasing them with the fabric around her neck.

Reno's left eye twitched as he gawked. She was wearing a white sports bra, which covered most of her tits but had a lower neckline than her shirt, allowing him to see one end of the scar the stretched over the top of her left breast. He looked across her chest and down to her right side, catching a glimpse of the other end just under the hem of her bra.

She removed the tank top and let it fall to the floor beside them, pressing her back into the wall as she stalled and allowed him to prepare.

He had shown her some pretty gnarly scars, but she still felt hers would have more of an impact, given its location and severity. She took another deep breath as she studied his expression, wild with hunger and anticipation that spurred her on.

Reno wanted to rip that item right off her chest and bury his face between her breasts, but he thought it would make her feel better if he allowed her to remove the shirt on her own. After taking a beat to watch his eyes twitch and dilate, she reached for the hem of her sports bra and slowly began to lift it. Reno licked his lips, noticing first the perfectly round underside of Tifa's breasts as she bubbled out from under her bra. With a little more effort, her breasts were released from the undergarment and he lost track of it, his eyes glued to his prize. He may have seen a small flash of white in his peripheral vision, but he couldn't be sure and he certainly didn't care.

And suddenly, her arms were across her chest, hiding them from Reno's view. He couldn't say he had even noticed the scar with so many more desirable places to look – her taught, pink nipples; the round, full shape of her breasts; or the scoop between her clavicle and nipples, the cleavage she never let anyone see.

"Oh, don't be shy now," he purred.

Tifa exhaled and relented, releasing her arms and allowing Reno the chance to study her figure. He slid his thumb over his bottom lip, moistened with saliva he had barely contained while ogling. His erection had returned to full staff and he considered his next move, unsure where to start.

"My Gods," he said, scanning her body from head to toe and back up again, lingering on her breasts before locking onto her eyes, "you're beautiful."

Tifa's cheeks flooded with heat at the seeming sincerity of his statement, though she couldn't quite be sure he wasn't just saying that in the hopes of getting up her skirt. This was Reno, after all.

As soon as the words left his mouth he wished he could shove them back in. He didn't call a woman "beautiful" at this point in his courtship dance; it was a word reserved for picking up a woman at the bar and making her think he was a gentleman. He never used it when he already had the woman half naked, instead using "hot," "sexy," or some similar words. He feared he had given himself away, or at least given her another clue that he wasn't as vicious as he had once been; another crack in his armor.

His mind flashed back to his 10-year-old self, seeing a pair of woman's - well, girl's - breasts for the first time. The girl was 13 at the time, with boobs that were like mosquito bites compared to Tifa's, yet at the time Reno had savored them. He had been a gangly child and teenager, teased for his red hair and pale skin, but this girl, suddenly, gave him attention. By 12 he was having sex - it was the slums, after all - but he would never forget how lost and awkward he felt the first time he had access to a girl's body.

He suddenly found himself just as unprepared.

He eventually decided he should say something about the scar to reassure Tifa and reached out a finger to trace the line of it from the top of her left breast, almost to her shoulder, to just beneath her right one.

"Yanno, if you hadn't told me about this thing, I wouldn't have even noticed it, what with everything else you got goin' on here," he said, motioning with his hands around the outer shape of her breasts and regaining his bearings.

"Really?" Tifa asked, her nerves settling with his humorous comment.

Cloud hadn't been turned off by the scar, though it reminded him of how he had "failed" her, but she had thought it would affect Reno. He had been with so many women, so many who probably didn't have a single mark anywhere on their perfect bodies and had never had to fight for their lives. So, of course she thought he'd be disgusted by such a gash.

"To be honest, I don't know where to start," Reno admitted, his eyes never meeting Tifa's as he continued to stare at her chest, missing the arrogant smirk with which she responded. "There are so many good options."

He had always _wanted_ to sink his face between her tits and shake his head to feel their pillowy softness on either side of his head, but now that he had the chance, so many other possibilities were calling to him. He didn't even realize he had hesitated so long until the magnetic pull of desire forced him into action.

His hands became greedy, roaming over her breasts as if they were keeping him alive, and he pinned her to the wall with his hips once more. The contrast in her skin tones from their trip to Costa del Sol was now apparent, and he traced the line that separated tan from pale.

"So, you _did_ miss my tan lines," she cooed with a prideful grin.

"You know it," he responded before letting his hands drop to her breasts once more.

He squeezed them both to feel their tender flesh before rubbing his thumb over one of her nipples and bringing his lips back to hers. His mouth was warmer than before, and his tongue was more aggressive once he coaxed her into allowing him entrance. It seemed like as soon as Tifa lost herself in his kiss, nearly forgetting that he was naked and she was topless, making him the second man she had allowed to see her breasts in a non-medical context, his lips were leaving hers and traveling south.

Kisses so gentle she couldn't believe they were coming from Reno forged a trail to her chin, up her jawline and to her earlobe before traveling down her neck, already sore in the places he had left marks, and finally down to her chest, where he kissed the entire line of her scar. He then brought his tongue to her right nipple, sliding his muscle around the areola before nipping gently on the aroused bud. Tifa's legs shook beneath her. This was definitely too far. Reno was certainly at that man's "point of no return" and she wasn't sure if she were brave enough to continue on – or to stop him. It seemed he was determined, however.

He continued to suck on her nipple before aggressively kissing and nipping his way to her other breast, bringing his hands down to rest on her hips, with several fingers grazing the waistband of her skirt.

Tifa, unfortunately for him, was still overdressed, so he decided his next move was to remedy that. He pressed his bare chest against hers and again allowed the tip of his cock to find her core, now soaked with yearning. He again sucked on her neck, bringing his hands down to the hem of her skirt, lifting it up to her hips and sliding his hands to her back and down the curves of her ass.

She hadn't stopped him yet, and her ministrations made it clear she wanted him, so tainted with thirst that she was ready to explode. Reno thought the Gods must have been smiling down at him that night to allow him this far with her after months of cold showers and blue balls. He was on the cusp of landing Tifa Lockhart, the rarest prize on Gaia.

He wanted her and she knew it, but she wasn't ready to go any further, already embarrassed that he was so close to being inside her. When his hands skimmed her soft skin up to her hips and his thumbs looped under the sides of her panties and began to pull them down, she met his hands with her own and held them in place.

"Reno…"

He knew what that tone meant: He had gone too far. He was _so close_ , but he couldn't say he was surprised that his luck had run out. It had taken him two-and-a-half years just to see her tits; he knew she wouldn't be giving everything up all at once, even if it really seemed like that might be the direction tonight took.

He could salvage this. He could walk away with _something_ and still make her feel like he was a gentleman respecting her boundaries.

He raised her panties back up to her hips and gave the sides of her thong a little pat when they were in place. He then lowered her skirt but stayed pressed against her, burying his face in her chest. He gently kissed his way back up to her lips and parted with her, searching her eyes for an indication that she was okay with at least a little more play. She smiled, and he knew he could get away with a little more.

He wasn't going to humiliate himself by getting off from dry humping her; that wasn't his style. He continued to kiss her but caught her wrist and lowered her hand to his erection. She at first jumped at the feel of his skin, but he held her wrist. She timidly ran her fingers up and down the shaft from the hilt to the tip and back, before swirling her thumb around the tip and wetting it with his precum. Nervously, she gripped his member in her hand and began to slowly work the shaft, her hand hesitating as her inexperience clouded her thoughts. She had learned how to give a man a hand job with Cloud, but surely Reno would require a more advanced technique than Tifa was used to and would feel nothing from her amateurish demonstration.

Reno, however, moaned at her touch and threw his head back to concentrate on her movements, closing his eyes and heating up at the sensation of her fingers wrapped around his cock. She was surprisingly good at this, despite her inexperience. Strife had been a lucky man – how could he have given up this woman? Reno returned his gaze to Tifa and looked at her hungrily, his eyes focused like a wild animal. He again lurched for her and thrust his tongue into her mouth, treating her with little regard as he pumped his hips to help her down south. This wasn't his first – or second – preferred method for getting off, but he figured this was a big enough step for her that he would not pass it up. He felt awkward, but knew that one day – soon – he would be releasing into her instead of onto her.

He felt his own gratification coming after a while and prepared himself for release, knowing it wouldn't be sexy or even pretty. He pressed against her so that she was forced to let him go, and he finished in his own hand, with some of the evidence dripping onto the floor between Tifa's boots.

"Oh…. Fuuuuuuck…." He said as he released his load, feeling a fraction of the satisfaction he knew she could provide.

Tifa held him as he stumbled into her, his weight momentarily shifted onto her slight frame as his knees weakened, nearly buckling. She wrapped her arms around his body, above his ribcage, splaying her hands to disperse his weight. He, in turn, nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck and brought his hands to her waist, his thumbs reaching up to skim the underside of her breasts.

"Damn, girl," he cooed into her ear after kissing a line up from her pulse point.

Tifa was nervous, excited, and embarrassed by the whole situation. It had been hot, but she was now in so deep she wasn't sure she'd be able to get back out. She had seen him at his most vulnerable, gotten a brief glimpse into what sex with him might be like – and she was curious.

This was so out of her character, she thought, that maybe the Lifestream really _had_ an effect on her. Maybe she had only been so lustful with Cloud because of what the Lifestream had done to them after Sephiroth and Jenova were defeated.

She would certainly buy that as an argument for why she was at this moment standing topless in her bar, holding up the naked form of a man she had once considered her enemy.

She shifted beneath him as he regained his balance, moving so that she now had access to his ear. And then she whispered the words she never thought she would ever say to him: "You can stay, if you want."


	25. Reno's New Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Would that take the fun out of it for you?" - Rufus Shinra.

Bright, gray light blinded Tifa upon first opening her eyes, keeping her from seeing anything other than a momentary burn and forcing her to remember the events of the previous night:

_Reno's lips glued to her neck as he sucked on her pulse point, his long, slender fingers exploring her body and burning her flesh in a way she hadn't experienced in more than a year._

_His mouth on her exposed nipple, teasing and nipping after she opened up to him about her scar; excited gasps escaping her throat as she clawed at his mane._

_Her hand wrapped around his huge cock, his skin soft and smooth beneath her fingers as she stroked him to completion._

She had asked Reno if he wanted to spend the night with her after their escapade downstairs, her heart aflutter after the contact and the dopamine, perhaps, filling her with thoughts of a potential future. She had shown him things only Cloud had seen and asked him to sleep where only Cloud (and once, Marlene) had slept; allowed him to touch her as only Cloud had touched her and felt as only Cloud previously had made her feel.

She expected Reno to decline her offer since he was already so close to the door, or to agree, with the assumption that the sexual activity would continue upstairs. He accepted, so she cleaned the floor where he had ejaculated while he pulled up his pants and gathered his jacket to follow her up to her apartment, where she hesitated at the top landing to steel herself, stiffening her shoulders and curling her fists briefly for courage. Perhaps even more so than letting him see her breasts, inviting Reno into her home and offering him Cloud's side of the bed remained the last vestige of her former relationship. Her anger from earlier in the evening regarding the blond swordsman flared up for a moment as she recalled why she was moving on in the first place: He left her, and no matter how the Lifestream did or did not affect him two years ago, he abandoned her and broke her heart. He didn't deserve her loyalty anymore.

Reno had tried not to look so eager as he climbed the stairs behind her, keeping several steps between them and saying nothing as she led him into her home and toward her bedroom. He was familiar with the layout by now, though he inhaled the fresh, feminine scent of the bedroom upon entering, closing his eyes to savor the moment he had finally gained an invitation into her personal space.

She asked him if he would mind if she took a shower and he shook his head, unable to contain the sly grin the statement brought out of him. To be safe, she gathered her pajamas and locked the bathroom door behind her to ensure his libidinous nature wouldn't take hold. She washed away her lingering attachment to her shattered relationship with Cloud and the small amount of Reno that had splattered on her legs when he came downstairs earlier.

When she finished and dressed she opened the door, half-expecting to find an empty bedroom and an open window, her curtain blowing in the night breeze to accentuate his absence.

Instead, she found him calmly sitting on Cloud's side of the bed, wearing just his boxer briefs with one leg hanging off the side and the other folded beneath him, shamelessly flaunting his torso as he leaned back on his hands.

"Nice jammies," he said with the same grin plastered across his face from her earlier shower comment, tilting his head toward her to acknowledge her camisole and curve-hugging pajama shorts. He let his eyes flagrantly travel the length of her body, causing her to blush before bending at the waist and holding a finger up to warn him.

"Can't be too careful with a lecherous Turk around," she teased, prompting a rueful smile from Reno.

She climbed into bed, purposefully keeping a distance between them so as not to give him any scandalous ideas. He scooted closer to her and laid down beside her, slowly reaching his right arm around her waist to hold her to him. It was awkward for him, as he tried to avoid cuddling as much as possible, made more awkward by the fact that his dominant arm was pinned between him and the bed. Tifa smiled to herself, recognizing Reno's one weakness in bed and appreciating that he let his mask slip to show it to her when he was still trying to maintain some semblance of cool.

"Reno?" she asked, causing his muscles to tense with the fear she was about to kick him out or tell him to let her go.

"Yeah, babe?"

"Goodnight."

"G'night, Lockhart," he responded.

Tifa's eyes shot open at the memory, realizing at once that she was actually surprised to find what she should have expected. She sat up immediately, staring at the length of bed beside her that once belonged to Cloud, now completely empty – as it had been for many months. The only evidence that she had, in fact, fallen asleep next to a rogue Turk was a few strands of long, bright red hair on the pillow beside her own and the disheveled sheets from the culprit's abscondence.

She looked to the bathroom door to find it open, the room behind free of steam or the sounds of running water. She scanned the rest of the room, listening for any indication that Reno remained in her home, an audible slur bubbling up from her throat and threatening to escape until her eyes locked upon an anomaly atop her nightstand.

 _She_ was staring back at herself, in bobblehead form, a small plastic caricature clearly meant to sell. The real Tifa's eyebrows knitted together as she studied the figure on her nightstand, holding up the trinket to inspect it as its head bobbed and swayed.

"What in the world…?" she said out loud, as if the item would answer.

It wasn't the _worst_ likeness of herself she had ever seen (that honor belonged to Cloud's napkin drawing of her he created in jest while waiting for dinner one night at a nearby restaurant). There could be no doubt that the figure was of her, from its outfit, hair color, and eye color and, of course, her name inscribed at the bottom.

"Where did he find you?" she asked it, the figure nodding back gently.

As she continued to inspect the toy, she was startled by the loud vibration of her phone traveling along the wooden nightstand, already knowing who would be texting her at that moment. He _always_ knew.

"Duty calls, yo," said Reno's text message.

Perhaps he hadn't simply fled her in the middle of the night like one of his one-night stands. Perhaps she _was_ different, or at least still keeping him interested and wanting more. Probably the latter, she thought.

* * *

"Duty," of course, meant leaving the warm bed of the most gorgeous woman on Gaia, something Reno struggled to do upon waking up in the middle of the night. Sleep did not find him easily without the soak of alcohol, and so he lay awake for far too long studying the gentle rise and fall of Tifa's shoulders as she faced away from him, moonlight caressing her skin with indigos and deep purples.

He must have dozed off at some point, awakening in a stupor of bliss to realize who was next to him. Failing to fall back asleep, he tried not to wake her, sitting up on her bed with the sheets gathered around his waist, leaning his bare back against her headboard. He let his eyes drift to her silky hair, spilled across her pillow and behind her on the bed, soft waves pooling near her lower back. Realizing that he was watching her sleep, Reno snapped his head forward and moved to lean it back against the headboard, slamming it too hard into the wood and freezing in the hopes that Tifa hadn't heard.

She stirred, but didn't wake up, shifting with a tender moan that gave him goosebumps and made his skin simmer. He closed his eyes, wandering back to hours earlier when she was backed against the wall downstairs and fulfilling one of his longest running fantasies. He pictured her large breasts, remembering the soft feel of them in his hands and in his mouth. He felt a twitch between his legs as he thought about how they may have been the most glorious pair of tits he had ever seen, though he couldn't be sure if it was because they were so substantial and spectacularly shaped or because they were the ultimate forbidden fruit by belonging to Tifa Lockhart.

 _Fuck_. He couldn't be this attached to a woman. He had a whole bedpost full of notches from all the women he had bed, and never once had he sat awake at night with thoughts of her ricocheting inside his skull or analyzing her sleep patterns.

He let his gaze fall on her again, his eyes coasting along the line that stretched from her shoulder to the dip in her waist and along the curve of her hip, sheets wrinkled and accentuating her body. He remained in that position for longer than he intended, scratching the top of his head just off center, his skin strained across his ribcage, abs and pectorals tight, while his other hand rested in his lap as he tried to will himself to look away. He had called her "beautiful" the night before and truly meant it, even if he hadn't planned to say it. Her reaction satisfied him, blushed tones and warm cheeks though she said nothing.

He could feel the thrum of his heart and he stifled a groan. He had to get out of here before he became even more of a hopeless cliché. He ran a hand through his loose, flowing red hair and wondered what it was that compelled him to procrastinate leaving her; why his body felt like lead and was unable to move. It wasn't that her bed was incredibly comfortable – he preferred a firm mattress, one that taught him a lesson each time he crashed into it after a night of drinking and debauchery – and yet he didn't find it easy to slip away into the night as he had done with other women for nearly two decades.

Eventually, he realized that allowing her to wake up and find him still next to her would hurt her more in the long run, allowing her to think there was some kind of future with him even though he knew – and suspected _she_ knew – it could never be. With all the skills he had mastered as a Turk and a fugitive lover, Reno slid out of Tifa's bed, pulled his hair into a ponytail, and gathered his clothes in his arms, lightly padding toward the door until he remembered the item he had been carrying around for weeks in the inside pocket of his suit jacket, waiting for the right moment. He may be fleeing, but he couldn't leave her thinking she was no different than the rabble he usually bedded. He shuffled the pile of clothes in his arms to find the added weight and removed it, silently returning to her side of the bed and leaving it on her nightstand. The urge to kiss her one last time surfaced for a fleeting moment, but he thought it was better not to chance waking her.

He dressed once he was downstairs in the bar to avoid detection, straightening the lapels of his suit jacket before leaving the establishment to find an overcast sky just starting to break with the moonlight, welcoming him to the day. He checked the time on his phone: 6:18 a.m. He had plenty of time to return home and possibly get a couple hours of actual sleep before meeting Rude to begin surveillance of the woman he had just left.

The sounds of fiends echoed throughout Edge as he made his way home, taking the rooftop paths to avoid an early morning fight and sucking down cigarettes like his life depended on them. He was sleep deprived and out of sorts, not to mention too lazy to do the police's jobs for them at this hour.

He arrived home to find his condo felt emptier than ever before, cold and sterile and _hard_ , unlike the soft femininity of Tifa's home, which seemed designed to welcome anyone who entered rather than scare them away, like Reno's. His mattress felt like a punch to the gut when he collapsed onto it after removing his suit, firm suddenly taking on a whole new meaning.

He awoke hours later, just minutes before he was supposed to meet Rude back at Seventh Heaven. For once he bolted out of bed and rushed to get ready for work; he would already be late, but he didn't want to leave Rude to snoop through her windows by himself.

He stumbled out of his apartment building holding a cup of coffee in one hand and struggling to push his arm through a suit jacket sleeve as he eyed the ladder he needed to ascend to the rooftops and make it to Seventh Heaven. He slowed his gait several blocks away for Rude's benefit; his bald partner needed to think Reno was looking to this assignment as he did to all the others, with disinterested professionalism. Rude couldn't know the way Reno's heart thumped at the knowledge that he would be paid to watch the woman he so desired, or the way he dreaded the possibility of her finding out.

He hopped down from the rooftop nearest the bar to find Rude waiting with a long canvass bag with a strap slung across his shoulder. Reno nodded to his partner and took one last sip of his coffee before crushing the paper cup in his fist and tossing it into the nearby gutter, eliciting a grimace from Rude.

"Just because the city is a mess doesn't mean you have to contribute," Rude scolded, leering at Reno over the top of his sunglasses.

"No sense in developing a social conscience without a regular conscience to go with it," Reno shrugged.

Rude grunted his disapproval.

"I've looked around the area and determined the best vantage point is the building across the street there," he informed, turning to point at the four-story building that faced Seventh Heaven's main entrance.

"Thanks for doing the reconnaissance, partner," Reno said with a half-hearted salute as the two headed toward a ladder on the side of the opposite building.

The two Turks scaled the structure as the sun began to spread the clouds and greet the day. Reno shielded his eyes from the blinding light as he hopped down from the parapet and crouched to move toward the side facing Tifa's bar. Rude did the same after flinging the bag he was carrying over the ledge and onto the flat roof.

"You good for this?" Rude asked his partner once he arrived at the surveillance point. Reno eyed him suspiciously.

"I could ask you the very same question."

"Alright, then."

With that out of the way and neither man admitting to any hesitation, Rude began to unzip the canvass bag and remove its contents. Reno watched with nostalgic approval as Rude assembled the Official Turk Telescope, clicking and twisting the pieces into place and raising it just high enough to see over the parapet into Tifa's home without getting noticed from below unless someone knew what to look for.

"Ah, Betsy," Reno said affectionately. "It's been a while."

Rude nodded. The telescope wasn't the most technical of surveillance methods – most of their fun equipment was destroyed with Shinra HQ – but it got the job done.

"You want to take the first watch?" Rude asked with guarded sincerity. Reno shook his head.

"Nah, you go ahead, I'll keep watch for any pesky neighbors," the redhead replied, not wanting to seem too eager to snoop.

Rude nodded again and crouched behind the telescope to peer into the upstairs of Seventh Heaven, finding closed curtains and blinds, the same as downstairs.

"Don't think she's up yet, but I can't see into the bedroom from here," Rude informed his partner, who stifled a smirk.

A self-satisfied grin crept across Reno's lips, reaching up to rest his hands behind his head on the parapet facing away from Seventh Heaven and thinking back to the night before once again to make an assumption about _why_ Tifa might not be awake yet. She was a bartender who had been kept awake the previous night by _some_ rakish young chap who apparently wore out every muscle of her body. Lucky girl.

He took out his phone while Rude was still using the telescope and sent Tifa a quick text for when she woke up, just in case the bobblehead didn't accurately portray his message. Upon returning his phone to his pocket, he felt a sudden jolt of shame for what he had done to her last night but more ashamed for how what he had done would hurt Rude if the man knew about it.

That's right, Reno can feel shame.

About 20 minutes passed silently between the two Turks, with Reno trying to suppress the newfound emotions he had been grappling with whenever Tifa was on his mind and Rude with his eye still pressed against the eyepiece of the telescope, which he moved slowly to view and focus on the different windows of Tifa's home.

"Wait, I think I see her in the kitchen," Rude said just as Reno was dozing off in the warm morning sun.

Now that Rude had said something, Reno didn't much like the idea of another man peering into Tifa's home, suddenly worried she might be walking around in her underwear or less… Wait, was he being _possessive?_ He didn't like this feeling, whatever it was.

"There she is," Rude said, moving the scope slightly.

He could see Tifa walking through the living room and into the kitchen, wearing her red satin bathrobe. The bald Turk watched as she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen island to check her phone. Just riveting stuff.

"What's she doing?" Reno asked.

He'd wanted to ask what she was wearing – both to know whether Rude was seeing too much and because he couldn't help himself – but thought it might bother his partner. If they had been surveilling any other woman for whatever reason, he wouldn't even hesitate to ask that question, and now realized that _not_ asking it would have its own effect on Rude. He couldn't win.

"Drinking coffee."

"Fascinating," Reno spouted sarcastically. "Job well done."

And it continued on like that for some time. Reno sat impatiently as Rude watched Tifa finish her coffee and breakfast, disappear into the back of the apartment, reappear dressed, and then clean her home and the bar downstairs, wondering why she seemed to aggressively mop one particular spot on the floor near the stairs. At no time did he witness her receive any phone calls.

"When she leaves, we can switch to more traditional surveillance means," Rude said just to fill the silence. Reno gave him a "thumbs up" and returned to his resting pose with the sun warming his pale skin.

It took several hours for her to finally emerge from the bar out into the sunlight, long enough to force Reno to find some shade to avoid another sunburn. He was making progress with her physically, and he was not going to risk that by burning his face. Tifa put her gloves on as she stepped out the door and began walking down the main street away from where Reno and Rude were perched.

"Wonder where she's going…" Rude mused.

"Should we get down and follow her?"

"Probably, she was just attacked by some grashtrikes."

Knowing she was fighting alone made Rude uneasy. He knew Tifa was strong, but the number of monsters appearing in the city lately was just too much. She could be overwhelmed.

"She's a big girl, she can take care of herself," Reno said. "Besides, if we appear now, she'll get suspicious. We have to wait until later like we usually do."

He closed his eyes and continued to rest with his arms behind his head, convinced that Tifa would catch on if they went to help her so early in the day, until his phone started to ring. He groaned and pulled it out of his pocket to check who was calling. Oh shit, Rufus.

"I gotta take this," he said to Rude as he crawled away from the edge of the roof before standing and walking to the opposite corner.

"Sir?" he asked when he was far enough away from Rude that his partner wouldn't be able to hear the conversation.

"Reno, I have a special assignment just for you," Rufus said on the other line.

Reno rolled his eyes. Of course, just as he gets the best assignment of his career, Rufus was going to take it away from him. It figured.

"Sir?"

"I hear you've been seeing the barmaid," Rufus continued. "Don't worry, none of your fellow Turks ratted you out."

Well, at least that was a relief, but it made Reno wonder if Rufus was having _them_ followed – and by who. He had always been so careful, well, at least when it came to checking if he was being followed. He hadn't exactly been discrete by taking Tifa and Barret to Costa del Sol. Rufus could have loyal lap dogs all over the plant, masquerading as normal people. It's not like Shinra didn't have a history of planting actors in towns pretending to be normal people in order to cover for the company's corruption.

Reno made an audible but unintelligible sound that was an attempt to sound unaffected but ended up confirming what Rufus already knew, prompting the Shinra president to continue.

"I want you to get closer to her. Watching from afar is one thing, but I need you to get in there and learn what AVALANCHE is up to."

"But we're already watching her every move and tonight we'll bug her apartment and bar, like you requested," Reno countered, knowing that facts were not going to persuade Rufus. Once the president made up his mind, the order would be followed without question, no matter how asinine.

"I know, but I want you to get in there and get the information out of her, instead of just waiting around for her friends to provide," Rufus said. "Become part of whatever it is that they're doing, if you have to, just find out what they know!"

The irritation in Rufus' voice was clear; he did _not_ like to explain his orders. Reno signed, dropping his shoulders and trying to figure out an argument that would appeal to the president. Finding none, he attempted sympathy, knowing it was doomed to failure but having no other options.

"Sir," Reno said, lowering his voice and putting a hand around his mouth and the phone to mask the call. "Please don't make this an assignment."

"Why? Would that take the fun out of it for you?" Rufus seemed almost gleeful.

"It's not that, Chief," Reno added, trying not to sound like he was begging. "Rude and I can get the same information just from surveilling her using typical means."

"I don't want to just follow and listen, I want to know what they're doing so we can get _ahead_ of them," Rufus raised his voice, sounding as if he were doing this to punish Reno. "Just do whatever it is you've been doing, but do it professionally."

Rufus hung up without waiting for a response. Reno stared at his phone a moment, hoping Rufus would call back and tell him to forget what they discussed. He may not be pursuing Tifa for the right reasons, but he didn't want his _job_ to depend on deceiving her. He didn't understand how it wasn't good enough to surveil her like they had done many times with many targets in the past. Reconnaissance was a Turk specialty; they didn't _need_ to cozy up to an enemy to get information – and Tifa wasn't their enemy.

He flipped his phone closed and took a deep breath before returning to Rude. Tifa was still fighting the grashtrikes, so Reno eased himself back to where he was sitting before, bending his legs to let his hands hang over his knees, still holding his phone limply. Rude didn't stop looking through the telescope.

Reno stared at the area of roof between his legs, just under where his phone was dangling in his left hand, zoning out. Was Rufus just toying with him? The man could be ruthless, after all, and he didn't seem to care much for the redheaded Turk these days. But would he really force an employee to date a woman to steal information, even if he didn't like said employee?

It wasn't like Reno had never done something like this before, but he had never been _ordered_ to sleep with the woman, he just took the "by any means necessary" quite seriously.

"Hmm?" he heard Rude hum next to him, still looking through the telescope as Tifa continued to fight fiends just down the street from their perch.

Reno knew Rude was asking about the phone call – and that he probably suspected it had been Rufus on the other line, but he wasn't even sure how to broach the subject. Would Rude even believe him? Would he find it awfully convenient that Reno would be _rewarded_ for his treachery by being ordered to cozy up to Tifa?

Rude noticed Reno's hesitation and looked back at him with some level of concern, barely discernible behind his sunglasses.

"What?" he asked.

Reno didn't look at him, instead just staring off into the distance.

"Rufus… wants me to use her," he said after a few moments of silence, his voice heavy and anguished.

"Hmm?"

"He told me to date her and find out what AVALANCHE is up to and then beat them to the punch," Reno added, his words falling out of his mouth and onto the roof below him. He moved his foot as if he were putting out a cigarette in an attempt to crush them.

"Oh," Rude said, understanding what was distressing Reno. "Are you upset because it wouldn't be fun for you anymore?"

"No!" Reno protested. "Well, yeah, that, and…"

Rude raised an eyebrow up over his glasses. Was there something more to Reno?

"What?" he asked.

Reno looked away and scoffed. He didn't want to say. If he said what was on his mind he'd get mocked. Maybe not by Rude, but his own brain was prepared to call him a pussy for saying the words out loud.

It wasn't like he had feelings for Tifa, or anyone, he just didn't want to be used this way by his employer, like some kind of prostitute.

"You're actually worried about hurting her," Rude said.

Reno shot him an angry look; lip cocked on one side to show some of his teeth in a snarl.

"What? No!" he insisted, narrowing his eyes at his partner.

Rude tilted his head and pursed his lips. He hadn't actually thought Reno cared about Tifa until now. Maybe there was a solution.

"Maybe don't look at it as using her," Rude suggested. "Remember when Rufus said we could work with AVALANCHE if we have to? So, let's just work with them."

Reno had _not_ expected to hear those words from Rude's mouth. Rude was actually suggesting undermining – ever so slightly – Rufus Shinra, and he was suggesting Reno do it by flirting with the woman _he_ had a crush on. Maybe this wasn't such a bad assignment after all.

"Hmm, you might be on to something there, yo," Reno said, coming out of his stupor. "Are— would you be okay with this?"

Rude lowered his head a moment and sighed.

"You were worried about an assignment not because of what it meant for our souls or for how many lives it would cost, but for what it might mean to one specific target," Rude began. "I don't think you're going to hurt her."

Reno was a bit uneasy, but if he could get over the part about betraying Tifa and focus simply on helping her, he'd be doing his job _and_ proving to her he was a changed man. Could be a win-win if she never found out about Rufus' assignment.

"Guess I'll go get to work then, huh?" Reno said as he stood up and dusted himself off.

Getting paid to hang around Tifa no longer seemed like such a bad gig.

Rude nodded and returned to the telescope. He'd keep watch from a distance until told otherwise, even if it meant watching his best friend with the woman he admired. Turk work wasn't always easy.

"We should send you with a wire," Rude suggested before Reno could escape down the ladder. He paused where he was, his head still above the parapet, and looked back at his partner with wide eyes. It was one thing to be told to woo a woman for information, it would be quite another for his coworkers and superiors to _hear_ what he was saying to her outside of the recorders in her home and business.

"Please, man, don't make this any harder than it has to be," Reno said with a dejected look on his face. "We're going to bug her house tonight, let's just leave it at that."

Based on his recent relationship with Tifa, he knew a wire would likely be discovered pretty darn quickly anyway, though the thought brought him no joy at the moment.

Rude huffed but agreed. He didn't really want to hear what Reno might say to Tifa anyway. This whole assignment was already giving him a hot sting of jealousy at the base of his neck anyway, he didn't need the added stress.

Reno scuttled down the fire escape taking the rungs two at a time, dropping from the ladder a few feet off the ground and landing with bent knees. He straightened up and adjusted his jacket before thrusting his hands into his pockets as he walked toward Tifa, who was just leveling the final queen grashtrike. He couldn't look too excited strolling over to her, both for her sake and for Rude's, so he adopted his usual casual nonchalance, as if he had just been out for a walk in a city filled with fiends.

She was wiping the sweat from her brow when he approached her. She startled, but more due to the fact that he _wasn't_ sneaking up on her in a dark, secluded place. Her confusion quickly turned into a smile and she reached behind her head to secure her long, thick hair into a high ponytail, which, even tied back, still reached her buttocks.

"All leather today, huh babe?" he asked, looking her up and down.

She was wearing a black leather vest that zipped up the front with a white tank top underneath and black leather shorts that nearly reached her knees along with a leather duster apron. Reno had never seen her wear something that covered so much of her legs and he didn't like it. He had always had much easier access to what was underneath, even if he hadn't gotten to partake. She was also wearing black high-tops instead of her usual red boots, another oddity, but one he found somewhat delightful. Someday, he thought to himself, he would make her wear heels in front of him. Black, strappy heels.

Scratch that – not just black heels, but a black cheongsam and thigh highs.

She seemed to be answering him about her outfit, but his mind was elsewhere, imagining her in red lingerie swinging around a stripper pole for him in a private room.

"Where were you coming from?" he heard her ask, unfortunately snapping him out of his dirty thoughts.

"Uh, just patrolling," he lied, scratching the back of his head.

"Aren't you worried about Rude catching you?" she asked. Reno stopped scratching and let his hand fall a few inches to rub his neck in an effort to calm his nerves.

"Uh, he knows about us already," he answered.

"WHAT? How?" Tifa suddenly became concerned that Reno was bragging about his encounters with her around the Shinra building. She had always known it was a possibility, given what she had heard from him in her own bar about his other conquests, but she thought perhaps he would keep _their_ relationship quiet, given Rude's affections.

"He, uh, saw us in Junon," Reno said, moving to scratch behind his ear and contort his face.

" _What_ did he see?"

"Hey, he couldn't have been much," Reno tried to alleviate her embarrassment. "At worst he would have seen your leg and the side of your ass."

That didn't help.

"And maybe my hand on your tit," Reno grinned, honestly thinking he had just comforted her.

"WHAT?" Tifa's face turned bright red, her whole body growing hotter than it had been while fighting the grashtrikes.

"Hey, babe, we were in an alley, any number of people could have walked past and seen."

Tifa wasn't stupid. She knew that was the case, but it didn't make it any less embarrassing to hear. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, suddenly feeling very exposed.

"Don't call me that," she again demanded.

From his vantage point, Rude thought he was watching Tifa angry at Reno as his partner tried to defend himself. She was swinging her arms in frustration, and he kept responding with defensive gestures. For Rude, it was pretty comical.

"Besides, Rude isn't even around today, he's feeling under the weather," Reno again lied.

Tifa narrowed her eyes at him in disbelief. She couldn't imagine Rude getting sick; the man was the picture of health and seemed too dedicated to his job to allow something as weak as the common cold to keep him from performing his duties.

"Well, it was nice to see you Reno, but I have errands to run," she said, moving past him to continue down a side street and away from her bar. Reno trotted to catch up to her, already hating how needy this assignment made him look.

"What are you doing?" she asked without breaking her gait.

"It's dangerous out these days, I'm going to do my civic duty and protect a great citizen of this city," Reno said with a smile and a salute. Tifa rolled her eyes.

"That's okay, I don't need any help," she said, looking around to see if anyone was watching, though the only people out were on the skywalks above them, and they rarely looked down to avoid making eye contact with fiends, never thinking any human would be stupid enough to travel by the original roads.

"What's the matter?" Reno asked, confused by how cold she was acting toward him after she had invited him to spend the night with her just last evening.

"I'd rather not have any gossip articles written about me or us," Tifa said, continuing to walk to her destination without looking at Reno. Any reporter spying on her would have to either have a death wish to be down here with the fiends or be watching her from the platforms above, but that didn't make her feel any more secure. Wednesday was still a couple days away, but she'd rather not get caught with a new line of questions from the Daily Buzz reporter.

The Turk suddenly cut in front of her and stopped, forcing her to stop as well.

"Whoa, you're not worried about gossip magazines, you're worried about your AVALANCHE buddies _reading_ those gossip magazines, aren't ya?" Reno was, frankly, singed by her words.

He was no stranger to secret hookups, but he did not like being on the other side of one. _She_ was embarrassed to be seen with _him_?

She stopped and turned to him, her gaze dropping to the ground.

"It's… not that," she said, tucking a loose lock of fringe behind her ear. Reno crossed his arms and shifted his weight to one hip.

"Uh huh, I see. I'm good enough for some secret fun but not good enough to be seen in public with you."

"No!" Tifa cried. "It's not that!"

Well, it sort of was that. She had been nervous about people seeing her with Reno in Costa del Sol, but when nothing was written after their trip she settled down. Now that she was back from Cosmo Canyon, however, she had the feeling she was being watched, fearing a forthcoming article that would prompt a slew of phone calls from her friends. She suddenly realized the absurdity of that thought.

"I'm sorry," she said, her head lowered. "I didn't mean it like that. I shouldn't be so concerned with what AVALANCHE may or may not think. And yes, I would like your help today."

Reno intertwined his fingers behind his head and sighed. He had an idea where she had been going with that, but certainly couldn't let her know he was bothered by it.

"Fine, I guess I'll still help you, citizen."

A small smile crossed her lips and she looked up at him, nodding but hesitating before continuing in her previous direction. Reno noticed her dithering and folded his arms across his chest again in annoyance.

"What now?" he asked.

Tifa looked forward and then looked to her right, down a different side street, torn between two destinations.

"Well," she started, nerves welling up, "I was on my way to the orphanage to help Marle, but…"

"But…?" Reno's first instinct was that Tifa didn't want Marle to see them together, but the old woman had seen him visit her in the hospital after the martial artist was shot. She even made a quip to him that let him know she had no issue with him seeing Tifa, even though he was pretty sure she had to have known he was a Turk. If Marle wasn't the problem, then… _Oh._

"I'm the reason they're orphans, huh?" he asked, feeling like he had just been stabbed in the heart. He knew he had killed people by helping to drop the Sector 7 plate, but those people were gone; he didn't have to see what he caused. Only survivors like Tifa remained, he thought, adults trying to rebuild the world after Shinra brought about its near destruction. He had never considered the possibility that even after Meteor, _his_ actions were still the reason some in Edge were suffering.

Tifa shuffled and frowned, confirming Reno's suspicions. She looked away from him before meeting his gaze and exhaling.

"Not all of them, and most of them are too young to understand why the plate fell or Meteor came…"

"But some of them _are_ old enough."

"I think they hate Shinra, not you in particular," Tifa said, casually grinding the toe of her sneaker into the pavement. "If you don't want to go, we can move on to my next errand," she added, cheeks showing just a ghost of pink.

Reno was touched that she offered to forgo something she clearly enjoyed just to spare his feelings. Did she really think he was so soft? He rolled his shoulders back and stood at full height to prove otherwise, looking down at Tifa with narrowed eyes and a bit of resentment.

"Nah, let's go see your orphans," Reno said lazily. "Can't find redemption without facing those you wronged, yanno?"

Tifa nodded and began walking toward the orphanage again, with Reno in tow, both silent for the duration of the walk as they contemplated what might happen once they were with the children. Tifa imagined a dozen terrible scenarios – crying and frightened children, angry Marle, and Reno reverting to the man she once thought he was – as they approached the large wooden doors to the building she and Cloud had built for the orphans.

She knocked on the door, something she didn't usually do, and briefly considered leaving and taking Reno to the theater instead of risking the children's wellbeing.

"Tifa?" Marle asked when she opened the door before Tifa could bail. The older woman's expression turned from one of confusion to concern when she realized why Tifa knocked instead of entering on her own.

Marle briefly scanned Reno as he stood beside Tifa, acting as though he were looking out for monsters instead of avoiding an awkward situation. She seemed to be looking right through him, reading his intentions, his past guilt, his current fears. He didn't like it. He didn't like the way her eyes narrowed and widened as if she were looking into his very soul and learning what deep, dark secrets he held in his heart.

"The young man from the hospital," she finally said matter-of-factly, without a hint of anger or concern in her voice, which struck Reno as odd. "What brings you by today?"

Reno blinked a few times at her question, trying to figure out why he wasn't being grilled or told to take a hike. Marle had to know who he was, yet she wasn't condemning him like she should. Had Tifa said something?

"He's… helping me today," Tifa said, "with the fiends."

Marle continued to block the entrance to the orphanage as she again analyzed Reno, who began to crumble under the weight of her gaze. He scratched the back of his head and stared at Marle's feet, suddenly feeling as if Rufus himself were judging him.

"Is that right?" Marle asked without taking her eyes off Reno.

"Yup, just your friendly neighborhood fiend herder today," the redhead responded with a lazy salute.

Marle regarded him skeptically.

"Do you think it will be alright if he comes in to help with the children?" Tifa asked, unable to make eye contact with Marle. Reno tried to keep from smiling at how Tifa wilted under the pressure of this woman, like a young teenager afraid of defying their mother. Reno hadn't experienced that himself, but he knew the sentiment and found Tifa to be quite cute at the moment, feeling the urge to kiss her.

"Does he know anything about children?" Marle asked.

"I think I handled that one kid just fine," Reno interjected with a bit of an amused tone. Marle's shoulders softened just a little.

"I'm sure he will be quiet while I run through their exercises for the day," Tifa added, placing a calming hand on Reno's shoulder. He was surprised by how hot his skin felt under her touch, even shielded by a dress shirt and suit jacket.

"You teaching the kids how to fight?" Reno asked. "I can share some of my moves."

Marle winced at his offer.

"I'm sure the children will be fine with what Tifa has to teach, but you're free to watch," she said before adding, "provided it doesn't upset any of them."

Her last words stung as she opened the door for Tifa and Reno to enter the building. Reno could only hope the children didn't know his face as the man who helped drop the plate, but he worried his suit would be a dead giveaway to the kids Tifa said knew about Shinra and hated his employer.

Children, it turned out, where more curious than cautious, telling Tifa about everything she missed while out of town and asking her dozens of questions about where she had been, which she deflected, to Reno's consternation. It seemed most of the kids either didn't notice Reno or were just more interested in Tifa to pay him any mind, but after they had exhausted their questions to Tifa, some turned to him with inquisitive intentions.

"Who is he?"

"You're not Cloud!"

"Your hair is so red!"

Tifa snickered at their inquiries, watching as Reno fumbled to answer as many questions as he could while looking utterly overwhelmed by the experience. The kids began tugging on his hands and sleeves to get him down to their level so he wouldn't tower over them, and he suddenly found himself cross-legged on the floor with about a dozen kids crowding him. He was confused, flashing desperate eyes to Tifa in the hopes that she would help, but she just smiled and waved while sharing conspiratorial glances with Marle.

Tifa watched the redhead nearly disappear in a pile of fascinated children before realizing that three orphans were standing in the corner, huddled together quietly and eyeing the Turk darkly. The three boys were the oldest of the group – each around 10 years old and old enough to blame Shinra for their situations. Tifa left Marle to watch over Reno while she approached the small, secluded group and crouched down to their level.

"Why did you bring him here, Tifa?" the leader of the little group demanded.

"He's trying to make amends for his past," she said. "He's helping me fight fiends today."

"He's _Shinra_ ," the little boy insisted.

"I know," she replied, "and I've always hated Shinra, too, but don't people deserve a second chance?"

"Shinra killed my parents!"

"My mom died in Sector 7."

"Mine died because of Meteor."

"I lost three of my best friends when the plate fell," Tifa informed them, gaining confused looks. "I know it's hard, but I've learned that holding onto anger can be a really bad thing."

One of the boys glanced around her shoulders to where Reno was sitting with the younger kids. A couple girls were trying to braid his ponytail, while another kid poked at the tattoos under his eyes and another asked why he had them. The smallest orphan was curled up in his lap and falling asleep.

Reno hated all of it, but he was here to impress Tifa and he found himself beginning to like the attention from the children. They asked such simple questions. He wasn't forced to give detailed answers or intelligent responses, though he did have to watch his language.

To his left he could feel the heat from the sun's rays wafting through the blinds and he hoped Rude couldn't see him in this predicament from wherever he was perched surveilling for Shinra. He'd never hear the end of it, especially after what happened during Meteorfall with the child Reno found outside the hospital. He looked around, noticing for the first time that the child he briefly cared for didn't seem to be here. Perhaps he was adopted. Maybe he found his family.

Outside, a smile streaked across Rude's face as he used the telescope to gaze through the window near Reno. Seeing the redhead swarmed by children tugged at the bald Turk's heartstrings, with the added bonus that Reno looked positively uncomfortable. Rude loved seeing his partner that way, since it was such a rare occurrence. He peeled his gaze away from Reno and checked the next window over to see Tifa talking with some older children. She was resting on her back heels as she spoke to them, seemingly having a more adult conversation than Reno was having with the younger kids. Rude couldn't be sure what she was saying, but he watched her go back and forth with the children, who kept stealing glances at Reno, whose back was to them. After a few minutes, Tifa stood up and walked with the children toward the back of the room. As she disappeared from Rude's view, the other children started running after her, leaving Reno to wonder what had happened so suddenly.

Rude stood up on the roof where he was watching. It wouldn't be long before people started heading onto the rooftops in search of lunch. He'd be conspicuous if he continued to spy, and there wasn't a location nearby where he could watch without being seen by passersby. He looked back toward Seventh Heaven, though it was no longer in view from the orphanage, and took out his PHS.

" _Figure you have things under control. Going to handle SH,_ " he texted Reno before making the trek back to the bar.

He could always take a break and wait to bug Tifa's home and business later, like he and Reno agreed upon, but since he had nothing to do and a window of opportunity, he might as well pick the lock and do it now.

Reno was half-heartedly following along with Tifa's instructions to the children when he felt his PHS buzz. He had tried to concentrate to show her a good-faith effort, but his mind kept wandering as she stretched or showed the children a fighting move. Her current outfit covered her more than her usual miniskirts, and he started thinking about the few inches of exposed skin on her thighs that he was missing. Plus, now that he had seen her bare breasts, he could imagine them as she moved – and it made keeping up difficult.

The vibration in his pocket thankfully rescued him before any of the children noticed he had frozen mid-stretch to leer at their instructor. He pulled out the device and brought up Rude's message, a flare widening his eyes at the thought of Rude alone in Tifa's home and what the recording devices meant for potential trysts later.

" _Do we have to?_ " he responded, looking up at Tifa as the hot sting of betrayal crept into his skull.

" _You want to disobey Rufus? You must have it bad…_ " Rude responded.

A different kind of pang stabbed Reno's heart at Rude's typed message. His hesitance to bug AVALANCHE had _nothing_ to do with what was going on between him and the barmaid, he told himself, it's just that he didn't see the point when they could just follow her and listen in during bar hours.

" _Fuck off_ ," he replied. " _Do your damn job._ "

He returned the phone to his pocket with a certain level of force, turning his attention back to Tifa as she taught the children how to break out of a common hold. Reno grinned as he thought of how he had gotten out of her hold the night before, when she was straddling him on the bar floor.

When the exercises ended, the children returned inside from the backyard area for their afternoon studies. Reno could tell Tifa usually chatted with Marle this time, as an awkward silence bubbled between them as the martial artist tried to word her exit.

"You better take care of her," Marle warned after the awkwardness passed and he and Tifa were on their way out the door.

Reno stiffened at the remark, catching Marle's double meaning. Tifa cringed beside him, the words pulling at her memories like the loose thread of a sweater. Marle had said those exact words to Cloud back in Sector 7, back in the days when Tifa's only concerns were the next bombing mission and whether Cloud would stay with her in the slums a little longer. Sometimes she still wondered what life would be like if AVALANCHE had never bombed the reactors.

Fleeting thoughts, she knew, but they crept up every once in a while.

"Where to next, citizen?" Reno asked after the door closed behind them, forcing a serious tone, his voice an octave lower.

Tifa giggled at his commitment to the gag, her heart feeling warmer after seeing the children accept Reno and glancing over at him while he was trying to follow her instructions, like he was just another orphan.

"I usually go to the theater next," Tifa responded.

"Gonna take in a show?" Reno teased.

"Maybe, someday," she said wistfully. "But right now we're still building."

"Lead the way."

He accompanied her to the theater, which included a fight with some zenenes. Their emaciated state made Reno question Rufus' theory that some species hadn't handled the Lifestream and would simply die off themselves. The zenenes looked like they were barely alive to begin with, yet he was still encountering them day after day.

Tifa flipped gracefully through the air as she attacked one, looking like she had choreographed the whole thing. Reno was always amazed by the way she fought, not just because of how it turned him on, but because it seemed like she knew every move in advance. She was quick, almost as agile as him, but there was a measured smoothness to her movements, unlike the urgent dizziness of his fighting style. As she danced, he stabbed at the creatures with his mag rod until he and Tifa had defeated them all.

"You're making this trip much easier," Tifa said, avoiding an actual "thank you."

"At your service, ma'am," Reno said in that mock serious tone that made Tifa laugh out loud this time.

Some more grashtrikes attacked them as they traveled, as did some creatures from the Southern Continent. It really was getting to the point where Tifa might not be able to make the trip on her own. She just hoped Nanaki and Vincent found something in the Cosmo Canyon tomes that would solve the problem and prevent them from having to travel to the Forgotten Capital.

She and Reno reached the theater, catching their breath and wiping the sweat from their brows once they were inside. Reno had never been one for the arts, but found it charming that Tifa would spend her days fighting her way to help build a theater. He looked around at the building in which they now stood, noting how it looked complete except for some finishing touches like paint and carpet. Then again, he wasn't quite sure what a theater was supposed to look like.

"I've always spent my days helping to build Edge," Tifa offered, though Reno hadn't asked. "The people here helped Cloud and me build our home and I want to do my part for them."

 _Ugh, Cloud again_. Reno knew by now he'd just have to ignore mentions of the blond if he hoped to get closer to Tifa. He was part of her past, and it couldn't be forgotten. He was sure he wouldn't be able to avoid comments about his decades-long promiscuity, either.

"Okay, how can I help?" he asked rather cheerfully while clapping his hands together and rubbing his palms. He had decided he would take full advantage of this assignment to "get close to her," as Rufus had demanded. Tifa looked at him, confused.

"You really want to help?" she asked, tilting her head. "What about your patrol?"

Reno shook his head.

"Eh, I think I can let it go and keep helping out a pretty lady," he responded with a smile, which Tifa returned.

"I'm still getting used to this 'helpful' Reno," she said, placing a hand on her hip. Reno tapped his chest.

"Oh yeah, I can be extremely helpful when I want to be."

She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly.

"Okay then, today we're helping to build the backstage area," Tifa informed him before leading him up onto the stage and back to an area that did not look as finished as the room in which they had just been.

Exposed wooden beams lined some sort of pathway leading in different directions. Reno had no idea what really went on behind a stage, so he had never considered how many rooms might be necessary. Tifa led him to a stack of plywood and lifted a piece, indicating for Reno to do the same. They then walked back along one of the wooden frames to where the wall was being put up. A man with an electric drill was screwing in the walls as others held up the plywood. After he put the first screw in the board Tifa was holding, he noticed Reno and huffed.

"Who's this scrawny sack of bones?" the man asked, jabbing a thumb in Reno's direction.

The redhead narrowed his eyes at the average-sized man with a bit of a beer gut. Reno preferred the term "sinewy" to describe himself.

"He's helping me today," Tifa said without giving Reno's name.

He supposed it had to do with their gossip magazine conversation earlier, but it just as easily could have been for his own protection, since his name was more infamous than his face (in certain circles). People knew the names of the men who destroyed Sector 7, but they didn't necessarily know what those men looked like – at least not to the extent that they could recognize him in public. The suit, however, was a dead giveaway, though the man with the drill didn't seem to care.

He seemed to accept Tifa's brief explanation and went about his business. They continued in this way until the longest wall of the backstage area was complete. Tifa actually found Reno's presence enjoyable, as he cracked jokes and wasn't a complete idiot when it came to construction. She supposed his mechanical skills translated somewhat into general construction competency. He also didn't look too bad in his dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his muscles tensed while he lifted and worked. Tifa found herself blushing each time he caught her looking.

Since she had slept in that day (thanks to Reno) she had to leave earlier than usual to fight her way back to the bar and get ready for opening. Reno's phone buzzed as they were leaving with a new text message from Rude.

" _It's done_ ," was all it said.

"Do you mind if we stop at the liquor store so I can pick up a bottle of your favorite scotch?" Tifa asked once they were back on the street, brushing a few stray strands of hair behind her ear and keeping him from thinking too long about Rude's message.

"Of _course_ you can buy me a drink, yo," Reno said with a grin, welcoming the new topic.

"I don't normally buy alcohol at full price, but I'm out and I figure you and Rude will be in tonight?" she asked – just to see if they would come by the bar. They had become familiar to her, and she enjoyed having them at the bar. She was also interested to see what new ploy Reno might try. She still pulsed whenever she thought back to his finger sliding along the edge of her panties, taunting her.

"Hey, no worries, I'll pay for it," Reno insisted. Tifa laughed.

"You already do."

They entered the liquor store and found the scotch section. Tifa grabbed the bottle off the top shelf while Reno looked over the other options, studying the labels of some of the more ridiculous brands toward the bottom shelf. He used his toe to point at a bottle on a shelf so low it was practically on the floor.

"What kind of sad, self-loathing guy would actually drink –" he squinted to see the label "–Grunt McGee's Licorice Scotch?"

Tifa laughed and crouched down to pick up the bottle. "Aged in the finest enamel barrels this side of Mideel," she read. "Are they purposefully trying not to sell their product?"

She stood back up, holding the bottle.

"You think any of my customers would order this?" she asked Reno with amusement. It was his turn to laugh.

"I want to see the person who would order this crap," he replied.

"Me too," Tifa replied, still holding onto the bottle as they walked to the cashier.

Behind him was a locked case with the most expensive products in the store. At the top of the case was a bottle of scotch shaped like an upside-down diamond.

"You mean to tell me you haven't been serving me the finest bottle of liquor you can find?" Reno teased, motioning toward the bottle.

"I, I never thought about it," Tifa said. She chose the top-shelf bottle to keep on hand just in case some high spenders came in. The Turks seemed to like it, so she never considered switching to something even more expensive.

"Tch, sir, how much for the Diamond Label?"

The man turned to look at the case and had to walk closer to inspect the shelf, clearly having never sold one of those bottles in this part of town before.

"3,000 gil," he said.

"I'll take it," Reno replied, reaching in his pocket for a wad of cash.

"I can get it," Tifa interjected. Reno held up his hand to stop her.

"No, no, this bottle is for me and Rude. You can display it, but no one else can drink it."

Tifa nodded and purchased the other two bottles of scotch. She exited the store with Reno, in their hands the most expensive liquor bottle from the store and one of the cheapest. No shame.

Reno assisted her on the trip home, fending off a pack of Kalm fangs and some caesars – he and Tifa both making sure the alcohol was safe above all else. When they returned to her bar, she leaned her back against the front door, holding a bottle of scotch in each hand.

"Thank you for all your help today," she smiled. "And thank you for the bobblehead."

Reno partially closed the gap between them and rested a hand against the door frame above Tifa's head, shifting his weight so that this arm was supporting him, the expensive scotch nestled in the crook of his free arm.

"Hey, no problem babe," he cooed with a half-smirk appearing on his lips. "Seems a shame to part for such a short amount of time before the bar opens."

He stuck his tongue out at her between his teeth and she tilted her head, lifting her index finger to him.

"Nice try, but you'll have to wait to drink like everyone else," she teased.

"That's not what I meant," he said, but she was already working to open her front door.

He followed her inside and placed the bottle he was carrying on the bar counter, looking around the room as he imagined where Rude might have hidden the bugs. Their presence definitely complicated the plans he had for Tifa tonight, if she would have him again. A smile crept across his lips at the thought.

"See you soon," she said, dashing his hopes for the moment and ushering him out the door.

What was he supposed to do for an hour?

He turned around and looked toward the roof where he and Rude had been stationed earlier. The evening sun was glaring over the back of the building and Reno had to shield his eyes, but he could see the silhouetted arm of his partner giving a brief wave from the roof. Reno scaled the ladder to meet up with his comrade once again.

"Have a nice day?" Rude asked, though he had seen much of what happened, except for their trip to the theater.

"I think she trusts me a little more, yo," Reno replied, looking back toward Seventh Heaven before sitting down on the roof to avoid detection.

Now he was helping her out and talking to her without the immediate goal of sex. He, much to his dismay, could not just grope her in public while building the theater. He had considered it, of course, but figured it would knock him a few steps back in her affections. When he told Rude he thought Tifa was trusting him more, he didn't say it to give an update to his mission, he was saying it to himself because he was genuinely feeling it. She had taken him along on her routine, knowing full well he could now show up at any time in the future. She didn't seem to mind that or the fact that he had been with her today.

And given their interactions last night (which he had not been able to keep out of his head all day), he felt he wasn't too far away from finally bedding the woman of his dreams.

Reno still allowed Rude to use the telescope to surveil Tifa's apartment before the bar opened, resting after a long day of fighting and flirting and considering what he might be able to do with her after closing. The redheaded Turk knew she'd be showering and changing before work and was thankful that they couldn't see into her bedroom or bathroom from their vantage point. He was now really concerned with the idea of Rude seeing her any way but fully clothed.

Previously, he would have simply snatched the telescope away to gawk before allowing Rude to take a look as well, but now he was desperate to ensure no other man would see her the way he had. He felt even more possessive now than he had earlier in the day. Must be some spell she was casting.

"See anything?" he asked his colleague in a low drawl, just to be sure.

"No, she must be in the back," Rude replied.

Reno leaned back against the parapet and placed his hands behind his head for support, as he had done earlier. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander back to his earlier imaginations of Tifa stripping for him. This was certainly a place he'd like to visit. He didn't think he had been thinking about that scenario for very long – or that he nodded off – but he was snapped back to reality by Rude's monotone voice.

"The bar's open," he said.

Reno rubbed his eyes and turned to look over the roof at Seventh Heaven. The "open" sign was lit as well as the lights inside the bar. He stretched and yawned before turning to Rude.

"Back to work, I guess," he said, pretending to sound like he wasn't enjoying this.

Rude acknowledged Reno's words and started to break down the telescope to put it away. When he was finished, he slung its case over his shoulder and nodded to Reno, who stood up and walked with him over to the ladder. They both climbed down carefully, making sure no one was around to see them, before crossing the street to enter Seventh Heaven.

An overwhelming sense of warmth filled Reno as he entered the bar. Tifa was already serving the few customers who had appeared just after the bar opened, carrying a couple opened beer bottles to their tables with a friendly smile. She was cleaned and rejuvenated from her afternoon, wearing that leather outfit with her long hair now stretching down her back. It bounced from side to side as she walked, trailing behind her with its own wind. Reno watched her for a few minutes before joining Rude at the bar as he placed the telescope bag on the floor beneath their stools.

What was this he was feeling? It wasn't lust, which made it a foreign emotion to him as far as women were concerned. He of course had the urge to fuck her in the middle of the bar, but watching her move gracefully about the establishment made him unknowingly smile. He found himself just wanting her near him, maybe even holding him and not necessarily in a sexual way.

He had "hugged" her the night before, but he was just doing that to warm her up to him. Now he sincerely wanted to just feel her against him.

She strolled behind the bar to grab glasses for the Turks, that kind smile never leaving her lips. She leaned over the bar and rested her elbows on the counter so she could speak with them directly.

"I have a new bottle of scotch just for you two," she said, peering at one Turk and then the other, unaware that Rude knew of the liquor store stop and that he recognized the expensive bottle. "By the way," she said, looking directly at Rude. "Glad you're feeling better."

The bald man was confused but accepted her kind words, assuming it had been part of Reno's ruse earlier.

"I know I'm game," Reno said. Rude nodded.

Tifa reached for the diamond-shaped bottle that was now displayed at the top of her liquor shelf, in the center, under a light. She brought the bottle to the bar in front of the Turks and opened it before pouring them each a glass.

It wasn't actually the most expensive scotch Reno had ever tasted. Years ago, when Rufus' father was still alive, the old president of Shinra had invited the Turks to his home to celebrate a particularly complicated mission. It was long before Reno laid eyes on Tifa, but AVALANCHE was in full swing and the president didn't hate the Turks yet.

Shinra had a liquor cabinet in his study, which was filled with expensive leather chairs, mahogany bookshelves, and smelled of cigar smoke. It was heaven, to Reno, back then. It had been the fanciest place he had ever been invited to, and though he didn't really like to read, he always dreamed of having a room like this in his home one day – or maybe just living here.

Shinra unlocked his cabinet and removed a decanter containing amber liquid. The bottle itself was nothing special that Reno could tell, though it was, in fact, a crystal Baccarat decanter with a starburst pattern and an "S" monogrammed on the front.

Shinra provided each of the Turks present with a matching tumbler, also made of crystal, though Reno didn't know the difference at the time, and poured them a drink. Reno sniffed the glass and his eyes almost immediately began to water. He was embarrassed and looked around to see that the other Turks and Shinra looked no different. The liquor smelled of creme brulee, and he wondered if it was going to taste sweet. When he finally brought the liquor to his lips, it was predictably harsh, but he was able to taste more of the sweet flavors within, like vanilla and coconut.

The scotch he was drinking now was certainly better than the one he usually ordered from Seventh Heaven, but it couldn't compare to the one he tasted in Shinra's study. This one provided him with a new sensation, however. He was trying it for the first time in the company of Tifa Lockhart, in a place that felt like his second home, in a way. Somehow that made the whole experience much more inviting.

A few hours later and the Turks were nursing their third glass of the expensive scotch, simply enjoying the atmosphere and not really talking. That was interrupted when Tifa came over to them at the bar and met Reno's gaze to motion toward the liquor shelf. He followed her eyes and saw that she was now reaching for the cheap licorice scotch he had found for her earlier.

No.

Someone had actually ordered that garbage. She grabbed a tumbler from the rack and poured the drink with her back to the bar so they couldn't see her gag from the smell. She couldn't tell what it smelled like, but it certainly didn't smell like anything that should be consumed by humans. She forced a smile and placed a hand on her hip as she sauntered toward the patron to give him the glass. The man who ordered it looked every bit like Reno expected: Short, fat, bald, alone, and probably hated himself. Actually, he looked kind of like Palmer.

Tifa shot Reno a stifled smile and he returned the expression. She went back to her work and his attention fell back to the better scotch, his mind wandering to the fact that Shinra could now hear everything that went on between these walls.

He was already hating that Seventh Heaven was bugged. Some of his best memories with Tifa were in this bar, and he did _not_ want his colleagues to hear anything remotely close to those encounters. He knew the apartment upstairs was tapped as well, which put a damper on his plans.

"How many did you place," Reno whispered when Tifa left to take the trash out.

"Four up, five down," Rude informed him without taking his eyes off the scotch.

Reno nodded silently, taking a mental note and counting where they would likely be placed. The back room, under the bar, near the back door, above the front door, and in the farthest corner for the downstairs devices, and probably in the bedroom, kitchen, living room, and guest room upstairs. Knowing Rude – and what _he_ would have done – Reno figured the bathrooms were safe. He might have to keep that in mind.

The Turks were the last customers to leave when Tifa closed the bar, giving Reno a half smile he interpreted to mean "come back a little later."

He walked with Rude across the street as some policeman battled with an elfadunk. He quietly climbed up the ladder back to the roof of the other building and Rude re-assembled Betsy. Reno again let his partner take the lead on spying, simply biding his time until they could call it a night and he could sneak back to Seventh Heaven.

Part of him didn't want anything scandalous to happen between him and Tifa tonight, for the mere fact that he knew everyone at Shinra would be listening, but another, angrier part of him wanted to stick it to them for doing this to her. Of course, that would mean potential embarrassment for her – if she ever found out. He could always take her back to his place, but he was remaining firm in his "no women" back to his apartment rule.

Tifa cleaned the bar and put the chairs on the tables but left the stools down near the counter and stood behind it for a little while, occasionally glancing at the door and checking her phone. Rude got the distinct feeling she was waiting for someone, and only hoped that someone wasn't Reno. His partner had seemed to be hiding a chipper attitude this morning, but Rude assumed that was because he didn't want to appear pumped for the new assignment. Now though… was Reno sleeping at Tifa's?

Rude disengaged from the telescope and rubbed his eye. He was buzzed from that delectable scotch and didn't want to travel down that avenue of thought. There was _something_ between Reno and Tifa, and he needed to let it go before it ate him alive. He was past his crush, but it still irked him that Reno of all people had seemingly won her over.

"If she gets any calls, we'll hear them," Rude said, beginning to dismantle Betsy again. "Wanna call it a night?"

"Might as well," Reno said, his heart skipping a beat. There was still time to lose Rude and get back to Tifa before she gave up on him.

The two traversed the rooftops to where they normally parted, Reno aware of Rude's heightened suspicions. The polite thing to do would be to go home and maybe flirt with Tifa via text, but Reno had never been polite and couldn't help himself. He walked all the way back to his apartment in the off chance Rude followed him. He texted Tifa on the way home and told her he'd be back in 20 minutes. She agreed.

He took an alternate route back to Seventh Heaven to avoid detection, knowing that every step he took was another nail in the coffin of his and Rude's friendship. Whatever happened tonight between him and Tifa would surely be the final blow, but he couldn't stay away. He only hoped Rude would understand. If the roles were reversed, Reno knew he'd let his partner get some, though the situation was far different given Rude's propensity toward monogamy and lasting relationships.

Reno stood outside the front door of the bar and sent Tifa another text. " _Got any more of that scotch?_ " He heard movement upstairs and footsteps getting louder as she approached the door to open it.

"Enough for _one_ more glass," she said as soon as she was in view.

Reno smirked and followed her back inside, returning to his usual stool as she turned the lights on. Tifa walked behind the bar and reached for the expensive bottle, nabbing a tumbler as well.

"You should have some of it. I'll allow it," Reno said.

Tifa did not care for scotch but had never tasted such expensive alcohol, so she poured herself a small amount and joined Reno on the other side of the bar. She brought the glass to her lips and sniffed the liquid inside, which made her eyes water. She took a sip and sucked back air.

"Oh my Gods," she said, definitely not enjoying the drink.

"It's an acquired taste, yo," Reno informed her.

"I guess so."

Reno took a sip of his own drink and turned toward Tifa, that overwhelming urge to feel her skin against his own hadn't dissipated since he first met up with her that morning. This certainly was a strange feeling indeed. He had to change things. He couldn't be that guy. He _wasn't_ that guy, and as much as she needed to think he was that guy, he couldn't let it get around.

He studied her with his upper body facing toward her, still holding his glass in one hand and leaning an arm on the counter. Tifa didn't look at him, instead concentrating on the scotch in front of her. She held the glass in both hands, tilting the liquid away from her without letting it spill onto the bar, her thumbs pressed against the glass as she gathered her thoughts.

Reno opened his mouth to speak, but before he could even make a sound, Tifa uttered the words that made his stomach flip.

"About last night…" she told her beverage, never breaking her staring contest with it.

Reno blinked a few times, surprised to be hearing the words he had used with countless women before and feeling his nerves rattle as he considered the possibility that Tifa was, yet again, trying to shut him out. He felt that weird beating in his chest again, a heat that flared up to his ears and threatened to reveal the words he refused to accept, the words that explained why his heart was in this throat and his testicles were in a locked box somewhere in Tifa's home.

"… Thank you."

Reno's lips parted and his left eye narrowed in confusion, but he quickly recovered.

"Anytime, babe," he said, a sly grin crossing his lips.

He had no clue why she was thanking him, but he assumed it was due to his hand and tongue skills. Tifa smiled and tilted her head, finally turning to face him.

"You don't actually know why I'm thanking you, do you?" she asked.

"I know I'm good, but I never thought _you_ , of all people, would thank me." Reno had been thanked on many occasions for his skills in the bedroom, but he never read Tifa as the type to verbally express gratitude for sexual activity. Usually when a woman thanked him it was because he had blown her mind or she had been frustrated and just needed to get off, but he hadn't done anything to make Tifa come the previous night.

She shook her head and chuckled.

"I'm not thanking you for _that_ ," she said. "But wow, you've really got some ego."

"Then what _are_ you thanking me for?"

"For…" she couldn't look him in the eye while she spoke, "for making me feel better about my scar."

"You never should have felt bad about it in the first place, if you want my opinion."

The corners of Tifa's lips curled upward slyly and she leaned toward him, the air between them becoming lighter, warmer.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" she asked, coyly.

Reno moved in a little closer.

"Well, like I said last night, I wouldn't have even noticed it given that rack of yours," he replied, giving a quick glance toward her chest and causing her cheeks to turn a deeper shade of red.

Maybe it was his vulgarity, or the fact that his pectoral muscles had been teasing her all day while he fought fiends and swaggered along with her as she ran her errands. Maybe it was the way he always seemed to know exactly what she needed to hear even before she knew she needed to hear it, or how he was always able to lift her mood in any situation, but it was _Tifa_ who leaned forward to capture Reno's lips with her own.

The surprise of her actions quickly faded, and he thrust his tongue into her mouth and tangled his hand in her hair, pulling her close. She melted into him, letting her own tongue swipe over his as they battled for supremacy. She had to admit she had wanted this all day. Watching him work up a sweat while fighting – on her behalf – and at the theater had really turned her on, bolstered by lingering thoughts of the previous night. The children at the orphanage accepting him was simply icing on the cake.

He wound his free hand around her back, flattening his palm on the small slice of bare skin between her tank top and the hem of her shorts. She stumbled off the stool she was sitting on but he caught her, pulling her against him and between his legs as he reclaimed her mouth.

Reno continued to kiss her as he slowly rose from his seated position, beginning to urge Tifa backwards. She assumed he was working her toward the same wall he pinned her against the night before, but in her haste to accommodate him, she didn't realize his intended path until her heel caught the back of the bottom step and she nearly tumbled backward. Reno kept his arm around her waist firm, keeping her from hitting the stairs and breaking their kiss.

"What are you doing?" she asked breathily, dragging her lips from his mouth to his ear. "I'm not ready for this."

"Relax, I ain't gonna fuck ya tonight," he whispered back, taking the opportunity to suck on her throat as he braced her against the wall along the staircase, her back arching around the handrail.

"Then what are you planning?" she replied, pushing herself off the wooden planks and using her strength to press Reno against the opposite wall, lifting her knee to pin him to it while nipping at his exposed neck.

He pushed her away slightly so she would look at him, grinning devilishly as his eyes narrowed into a feral stare. The way he looked at her indicated he would not simply be cuddling with her that night, but he committed to his statement that he would not have sex with her, either. She was getting close to accepting him, but even if she may seem ready tonight, despite her protest, he needed to make her wait. He was the first man to touch her in nearly a year, and he needed to draw the process out; give her the seduction he knew she never received from _Strife_.

"Plenty," he practically growled before attacking her with a deluge of kisses from her ear to her shoulder, bringing his hands to her shoulders to keep her moving up the stairs with him.

They nearly collapsed through the door to her apartment, slamming into the nearest wall and causing the picture frames to wobble. Knowing one of them would get injured or break a piece of furniture if they continued like this – and possibly ruin the mood – Reno hoisted Tifa up to straddle him, gripping her beneath her thighs. She gave no objection, gripping his face between her palms and continuing to kiss him as he carried her into her bedroom, concerns of moving too fast flying out the window after the way her insides yearned for him.

Deep in the recesses of Reno's mind, the nagging memory that the home and bar were bugged nestled uneasily, yet he could hardly be bothered to consider that at the moment, given the proposition before him. He had Tifa Lockhart's tongue in his mouth and was carrying her willingly to her bed, a reward he was still wondering how he received. He briefly contemplated the recording device behind the headboard and how to conceal it when he tossed Tifa unceremoniously onto her bed, but the thought was blown away when she gripped his shirt and pulled him down with her.

The Turks wouldn't hear _that_ much, right?

Tifa realized this was getting out of hand and knew Reno wouldn't be able to handle just a lengthy make-out session. He was on top of her, a knee on either side of her hips just as he had been the night of the storm when they first kissed. He disengaged from her for a moment to remove his jacket, tossing it carelessly somewhere across the room. He then rolled up each of his sleeves as if he were about to get down to business before leaning back down to cup her face. He hovered above her just enough so that their noses were touching, and she could feel his hot breath on her lips, the smell of alcohol tingling her senses.

He suddenly found himself lost in her eyes, ruby pools emanating a warmth he couldn't fathom, let alone reciprocate. He became transfixed on the swirls of color in her irises, the sparkles reflecting from the lights in the bedroom, and felt as though he was falling into the depths of her pupils, drowning in thoughts of a future he never dared to dream about, but one that was quickly seeming like a possibility.

"What's wrong?" he heard her ask as he noticed her eyebrows knitting in concern on the edge of his vision.

"Just thinking about what I want to do to you first," he recovered quickly.

Reno snapped his teeth at her as if he were about to bite but didn't make contact, drawing a giggle out of her before he again dipped his tongue into her mouth to make her forget whatever she had just seen in his eyes.

He placed a hand beside her shoulders to brace himself, the other still caressing her face and tangling in her hair. He knew what he _wanted_ to do to her at that moment, but held back, instead taking comfort in what he knew to be safe, prepared to move further if she allowed.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice husky and hovering just over her ear.

"You asked me that last night," Tifa replied, reaching up to plant small kisses on his cheek.

"I'm asking you again," he was a little more determined sounding this time, and began trailing kisses along the shell of her ear and down to her neck.

She mewled beneath him as he nipped at her pulse point, one hand sliding down to squeeze her breast. She craned her neck back to give him better access to her throat and he obliged, sucking her skin at the dip where her shoulder began, the makings of another hickey already starting to form.

"I don't know," she breathed.

Reno abruptly sat back, looking down at her from his position above, looking somewhat annoyed but largely conspiratorial. He wiped a thumb over his lower lip and stared down at her a moment, taking care not to put too much of his weight onto her belly.

"Lockhart, you're the most free you've been in your entire life," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Tifa's face contorted in confusion and she moved to object, but he continued: "Tell me what you want."

He kept his eyes locked on her as he waited for her to respond, but she just stared back at him with uncertainty. She had been plenty free with Cloud, though she was sure Reno didn't believe that. The truth was she didn't know what she wanted, at least as far as Reno's question was concerned.

She wanted the monster problem to be solved. She wanted the unanswered questions to be resolved. She wanted Nanaki to find the answers in the already found books. She wanted to not have to relive the most painful moments of her life again in the Forgotten Capital. She wanted to not have to see _him_ when they traveled there in a few days.

"I want to feel alive," she said, a sadness exposed for which Reno was unprepared.

"I can do that," he responded, a grin quickly forming as he leaned back down to recapture her mouth.

He shoved his tongue back into her mouth with more aggression than before, causing her to moan and relax into the bed. He let his left hand drift down to her breast, where he briefly teased her nipple before creeping lower. She wanted to feel alive? Well, he would make her feel more alive than Strife ever could, the recording devices be damned. Besides, they'd stop listening once it was clear what was about to happen, right?

He felt her abdominal muscles tense as he reached the waistband of her shorts, dipping a finger behind it to slide along her skin just enough to let her know where this was going. When she didn't object, he lowered his hand between her legs to begin rubbing her most sensitive area outside her shorts.

Tifa's breath hitched at the sensation, a mixture of fear and excitement sweeping over her as one of the last men on Gaia she thought she would ever allow to touch her was currently stroking her heat in the most tantalizing way. He was outside the leather shorts she was wearing that day, yet he was somehow managing to make her feel something she hadn't felt in more than a year. She quickly felt her core heated and wondered if he could tell she was already damp just from his slight petting.

Reno couldn't feel it, but he could tell she was getting worked up by the way she closed her eyes and let a soft moan escape her lips, a clear sign she was trying not to enjoy this as much as she was. The redhead grinned as he continued to kiss her, dragging his hand back up to her waistband and waiting for the telltale sign that she wanted more. She lifted her hips into him ever so slightly and kissed him harder, catching his tongue between her teeth once again and sucking on it.

Reno hissed in delight, moving his hand up to find the zipper on her vest and pull it down. She shrugged it off, but he didn't make a move for the white sports bra underneath, though he did bring one hand down to rub her nipple with his thumb. As he worked to ensure he hardened the dark pink bud that was visible beneath her bra, he moved his face down to nuzzle her other breast before planting a trail of kisses down her abdomen toward her stomach.

Tifa held her breath, having wondered what it would be like to have sex with Reno for some time now. The only reason she stopped him the night before was because she was afraid of moving too fast, the same reason she put up a wall when they were at the bottom of the stairs. But _Gods_ , did she want to feel her insides twisting in burning passion as her body was rocked by a man – the way Cloud used to before he began pulling away. She had been aching all day for Reno's touch, even if she tried not to show it. Every time he stole a glance while they were out fighting and running errands, every time her skin was electrified by an accidental bump or brush while they were at the theater, it all kept her just on the verge of coming apart and taking matters into her own hands.

Reno reached the waistband of her shorts and looked up at her expectantly, assuming she would put an end to this and leave him right back where he was last night. Instead, she nodded her head, causing him to freeze momentarily to make sure he had, indeed, just seen her consent. Without conflicting evidence, he worked to pull her shorts down, aided when Tifa lifted her hips off the bed so that he could remove them completely and fling them somewhere out of sight as she kicked off her shoes and socks.

She held her knees together, but otherwise did nothing to cover herself after he exposed the black lacy fabric that now separated him from his ultimate prize. A tiny, nearly shear triangle now stood between him and the bragging rights he'd wanted for years. Being this close, wondering how he hadn't been swatted or thrown out the door already, and knowing it wasn't quite time weighed heavily on him as he sat back to admire the view.

He could wait a little while longer if it meant screwing the great Tifa Lockhart. Honestly, it was consuming nearly his every thought at this point, but that was probably due to the fact that he hadn't had sex with any other woman in a couple months now, his longest dry spell ever. Tifa better be worth it in the end. She was inexperienced, but even if she were an average lay it would still be worth the wait just to be able to say he had fucked her.

He studied the woman before him for a moment, weighing his options and trying to guess whether she had pubic hair beneath that lace or whether she was smooth. Either option would have been just fine for him, and he decided to see if he could find the answer tonight. He once again kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth to distract her as he placed his left hand on the inside of her upper thigh. She froze when he moved his hand slowly up her leg, shivering as his hand moved high enough to brush against the outside of that lacy fabric, finding that it was already sodden.

Oh, she was wet alright. He imagined he could slip his cock inside her right now with no problem – but that had to wait for another day. He emitted a low growl at the discovery and let a finger slide along her seam before finding her clit and gently rubbing it with the pad of his thumb. Her breathing intensified as she felt the edge of the fabric lift and Reno's long, calloused fingers suddenly against her most sensitive area.

She moaned, worried that his talent and her lack of attention for so long would make her come undone far too quickly, but enjoying the first taste of her sexuality in more than a year.

Reno alternated between circling her clit with his thumb and rubbing it up and down, changing direction as she purred and keened under his touch. When she moaned, her voice was deep and throaty, which drew a grin across his lips as he imagined Strife had never touched her as expertly as he could. She arched her back off the bed as he rubbed her more intensely, allowing his index finger to press against the soaked fabric above her sweet spot.

She nearly sat up at the sensation, trying desperately to control her reactions so that Reno's ego didn't get any bigger than it already was. He started to press harder into her entrance before he removed his lips from hers to nibble on her earlobe, allowing her the freedom to make more noise in reaction to his petting.

He moved his fingers to the edge of her panties, sliding them up and down just enough to raise the fabric millimeters off of her skin and send a jolt of electricity up to her brain, resulting in a loud whine for him to continue. He could feel her already leaking onto the tips of his fingers even from this slight motion, smiling to himself at just how easy it would be to make her explode. He kissed her jaw and her throat, paying special attention to her pulse point as he slipped one finger underneath her panties to drench it in her juices, stroking her from the back to the front of her seam before teasing her entrance with the tip of his digit.

Tifa's body tensed with the contact, anticipating a quick release at this rate and silently begging him to enter her with his finger. Her whole body blushed and filled with heat as one of his fingers played with the smooth, velvety skin of her folds, just brushing back and forth to torture her.

"Reno…" there came the voice, but she said it the way she did when she was enjoying what he was doing, not wanting him to stop.

He felt the heat in his loins and his heart beating out of his chest as he slipped a finger between her slick folds, keeping his thumb on her clit as he plunged his index finger slowly into her depths, already covered in her fluids and ensuring that she would stretch adequately to allow him further entrance. She was tight, even for his long, slender appendage, and he could feel his pants tighten a little further at the struggle.

He curled his finger slightly upward toward her belly to reach the area he knew would cause her to convulse in pleasure. She started to writhe beneath him, so he picked up his pace, nipping at her neck as he did so.

"Oh, Reno…" she moaned as he pumped his hand and tickled the _exact_ right spot.

Reno couldn't believe how his luck had turned. Just a few months ago he still considered himself human garbage, worthy of only the lowest hanging fruit. Yet now, here he was inside the most coveted woman on Gaia, a woman touched only by the most elusive man on the planet. Meanwhile, Reno would take almost whatever he could get, never thinking he deserved anyone who might matter more to him than as a body. He didn't understand what he could have done to turn his life around so drastically, but he certainly wasn't going to look a gift chocobo in the beak.

"Come for me, Lockhart," he cooed in a low, raspy voice as she writhed beneath him.

Tifa was already gripping the sheets beside her as she felt her first orgasm in more than a year threaten to release. She tried to hold back, not wanting to seem so inexperienced in comparison to Reno, fighting back as her insides tensed around his fingers. But once he dove a second finger into her warm depths, she unwound, unable to keep her dignity any longer, her fingers and toes going numb as she fought to maintain control. Reno continued to rub the cluster of nerves below her belly with his fingertips as his thumb maintained pressure on her clit, her insides soaking his hand in response. S

he finally came down, collapsing into the bed after arching off of it as electricity seared through her muscles all at once, her ample bosom heaving up off the bed as she tried to calm down, her face as red as the boots she normally wore.

Reno continued to suck on her shoulder, inhaling her skin that had become saltier the more he pleasured her.

"Reno…" she whimpered, unable to say anything more and still trying to regain feeling in her fingers.

"Good?" he asked, pulling back from her shoulder just enough so that he could see her eyes.

She scrunched her eyelids closed so that he couldn't see the way her eyes were glassy with tears threatening to escape after the first orgasm she'd had in _way_ too long. A single tear bubbled up on the outer corner of her lashes, sliding down her cheek to give away her not-so-hidden secret, the rush of emotions flooding out of her, contained in that single tear as she held her eyes closed.

She finally opened her eyes to look at Reno through wet lashes to see him grinning above her, studying her reaction to feed his own ego, still waiting for her response to his question. Tifa shut her eyes tight again and nodded, resting her cheek on the bed to avoid giving him complete satisfaction.

"Good," he stated. "On to round two."

Tifa's eyes shot open at his words, a look of fear in her carmine irises and wide pupils. Surely he didn't mean to torture her with such bliss again, right?

"Huh?" she asked as she stared up at him, prompting a prideful smirk from the redhead.

"Relax, you'll see," he said, maintaining the devilish grin as he began to unbutton his shirt.

Tifa watched, concerned, as he maneuvered those nimble fingers to undo the few buttons that were secured on his dress shirt, each giving way to reveal those lithe muscles and pale scars. He didn't move to unbuckle his belt or remove his pants, however, instead hovering over her once again. She could already feel a burning heat between her legs once again as he settled above her to entangle his tongue with hers, exploring her mouth with fervor. By now she felt the tightness behind his pants pressing against her pubic bone, concerned that his next move was to free himself within her and take things to a level she deeply desired, but was unprepared for.

He bit her lower lip between his teeth and tugged it upward, eliciting a soft cry indicating pain while revealing a craving for more when he released her. He towered over her, long, toned arms holding himself up on either side of her chest, the muscles of his shoulders shining in the overhead light. He pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose before moving his lips back to her ear, nipping her ear lobe and grazing his tongue over the soft skin of her jawline, sucking on her neck in an area he had not yet left bruised and sore. Tifa was sure at that point that she would look like a coeurl were she to look in the mirror that night, but the sparks she felt throughout her body overrode any worries about modesty at the moment.

Reno continued to slowly descend her body, nipping and sucking her exposed skin, breathy gasps escaping her throat, a trail of seared flesh left in his wake while goosebumps attempted to cool her body temperature. He never removed her sports bra, keeping that image a reward to himself for when he finally managed to bed her, though he did fondle them and grasp one nipple between his teeth through the thick fabric before continuing on to her belly button. He swirled his tongue inside the dimple, drawing a snicker and flexed abs as he found a ticklish spot on her stomach. Tifa's insides were set aflame, terrified over what he might do to her next while needing whatever he was willing to provide. Her skin sizzled when his lips made contact with the skin just above the narrow strip of fabric at the top of her panties, so sensitive and so deprived.

He started to kiss the lacy fabric, Tifa twitching at each tentative peck. Synapses fired, reminding her that she turned him down last night against her body's siren calls, determined to give in to self-serving pleasure for once in her life, casting off the shadows of what her friends would think. She needed Reno's touch, needed the confidence to face Cloud at the Forgotten Capital and not break apart at the seams when she saw him, as she had done months earlier. His hold over her dissipated each time Reno's hot, wet lips made contact with her skin, her mind seeing red over the usual blond.

Reno was now at the end of the line that stretched from her mouth to between her thighs, coaxing her legs to spread wider while settling between them and pressing one last kiss to her drenched center. He hooked his thumbs on either side of her panties and began to pull them down, taking note that she was completely smooth beneath, a discovery that heated his blood to a near boil. Tifa felt another rush of heat pool in her abdomen as he continued, physically wanting more but terrified of what she would get.

"Mmm those tan lines," Reno said coolly as he noted the lines of lighter skin on her hips that her bathing suit had covered while they were in Costa del Sol.

Smooth, tanned skin on her abdomen and thighs made the contrasting creamy paleness of her bikini area that much starker and more alluring. He imagined her sunbathing in the nude on the roof of Seventh Heaven to even out her skin tone, people passing by beneath unaware that such a beautiful sight was just above them. Reno knew Tifa would never go for something like that, too modest and skittish to leave herself open to such exposure when helicopters – prying Turk eyes – and other airships could easily pass overhead. Still, he let the image wash over him, the idea of the sun on his back, her limbs wrapped around his narrow frame.

Tifa squeezed her thighs together with one knee over the other in an attempt to keep herself covered once Reno had fully removed her panties. He was about to see what only Cloud had seen, and she felt her heart race at the thought. Reno tossed her panties off the bed and sat back on his heels to inspect her. She was still wearing her white tank top but nothing else, the full lines of her curves visible beneath him.

This was truly one gorgeous woman, he thought as his eyes roamed her nearly naked body. Her bust, her waist, her hips – he had never seen a more perfect woman. He found himself thinking Cloud must be the biggest idiot on earth, unless the old saying that "no matter how perfect a woman is, some man, somewhere is tired of her shit" was true. He couldn't imagine that could apply to Tifa, however. Who could ever get tired of violating this woman?

"Lookee what I get," he said almost to himself as she attempted to maintain her modesty.

He was still wearing his suit pants to let her know for sure that he would not be fucking her, but he leaned back over her to kiss her while his hands fondled her breasts. As his lips moved down once again, so did his hands, until they were on her thighs spreading them apart. He kissed her hips along her tan lines before moving down to her pubic bone just above the beginning of her slit, before lowering his face between her thighs.

She felt his hot, torturous breath just millimeters from her most sensitive area, challenging her to buck her hips and force his lips to make contact. She resisted, denying him the satisfaction of knowing just how badly she wanted him, how her pussy begged for his touch, still swollen and pulsing from his digital exploration.

Seconds ticked by, feeling like the whole of eternity and a chasm the size of Cosmo Canyon sat between them, a stand-off testing their will.

He blinked first, but just barely. Tifa felt the slightest brush against her clit, not his tongue, but a simple, sensual bump from the tip of his nose. She looked down, expecting to see just a mess of red hair above her belly, but instead caught his icy blue eyes watching her reaction. There was an intensity behind them overshadowed by questioning, an attempt to seek approval before continuing.

His first taste was a quick dart of the tip of his tongue against her sensitive nub, a tease to prepare her what was to follow. Her body twitched dramatically at the sensation, expecting more, settling down to wait as he smirked.

He again pricked her clit with his tongue, this time making quick, repeated contact all around the pebble before swirling his tongue around it. At the end of the short ritual, he sucked on the tender bud while she arched her back off the bed, goading him to suck harder, the pleasure so intense it was almost painful. When he moved his tongue down to her folds, she felt her fingers already starting to go numb, again gripping the sheets to try to maintain feeling.

The sensation of his tongue between her lips was searing, a jolt of electricity that set fireworks off in her brain and sent currents throughout her veins until they reached her extremities, causing her to twitch almost violently. He rolled his tongue along her seam, just over her opening, her walls seizing before his tongue was even inside her.

She tasted sweeter than he expected, a pleasant departure from the women he was used to; less acrid and overpowering, or maybe it was just his rapidly changing feelings seeing her in a different light. After a few strokes of his tongue along the outside of her entrance, he narrowed the muscle and slowly dove into her warm depths, keeping his nose aligned with her clit to gently brush against it as he worked.

He expertly moved his tongue inside of her as she wriggled about, widening it or reaching deeper depending on her response. It was clear he had done this many times before, a perfected technique that made Tifa aware that Reno simply knew how to read what women wanted and was eager to provide. He wasn't exploring or guessing, he was methodically unwinding her with the knowledge he had gained through years of practice.

"Oh _Gods_ , Reno," she said, realizing that he knew her body better than she did.

It was a strange sort of realization. She and Cloud learned about each other together; what the other liked and what made them unravel, while Reno was in effect teaching her what was possible, things she had never known could be done.

Tifa's toes curled and her nails dug deep into the mattress while her knees began quaking on either side of his head as she tried to control them, worried she might knock him out at the absolute worst moment. When she seemed to be too close, he slowly withdrew his tongue and stroked her up to her clit before slipping a finger inside her and suckling on her dark pink button, the feeling in her toes long gone. Knowing what he was doing to her, listening to her keen and mewl and moan out his name, he felt his own stiffness begging to be drenched inside her, demanding he end his obsession tonight and return to what he was meant to be: A bastard loner who recognized his only future was slowly killing himself through numerous vices.

Tifa looked down at Reno's eyes peeking above her nether region, seeing an unreadable mixture of contemplation and elation. She could tell he was grinning as he worked her, watching her face contort into an expression that somehow showed both bliss and pain as he mentally congratulated himself for blowing her mind.

She slammed her head back against the pillow as Reno's free hand reached up to cup her breast, the combination of his hand, tongue, and fingers all working in tandem to bring her to ecstasy becoming too much.

He was about to get her – again. She felt all of the emotions and all of the intensity whirling around inside her about to explode, trying again to hold back for as long as she could. Reno had barely needed to work to get her off, making her feel easy and unchallenging. Surely, she had bored Reno with her simplicity. Try as she might, she couldn't escape her own release, succumbing to the pleasure of his tongue that she now realized was useful for more than just snarky comments and shit talking. Still flicking her hands and feet to stop the tingling sensation, her loins pulsed heavily as Reno drank her in.

Lapping up her juices, he smiled against the thin, delicate skin of her pussy, the pain in his groin worse than he had ever felt it before. He had already promised that tonight would be about Tifa, but his cock convulsed inside his pants, his thoughts briefly toying with the thought of her full, pouty lips wrapped around his member.

He pulled his head back to watch over her as she slowly calmed down, her limbs relaxing but still curling her fingers into a fist to regain feeling. She had released so hard a small pool formed beneath her on the sheets, which turned her bright red, again, upon notice. He wiped his mouth and chin with his hand before flashing her his trademark grin, his eyes trained on hers with white, hot, desire behind his irises.

"Don't be embarrassed," Reno told her. "It's hot, knowing I made you come that hard."

Tifa tried to smile but was still trying to regain her composure, squirming beneath him to avoid the wet bedsheets and cover her shame. She again squeezed her knees together and flipped the sheet over to cover herself, pulling it up to her neck and gripping the hem tightly.

"I don't know why you're embarrassed all the time, Lockhart," Reno said with a rueful smile. "You got nothin' to be embarrassed about, yo."

He crawled back on top of her to press his lips against hers, though she resisted his tongue knowing where it had just been. He pulled away, laughing and rolling over next to her, propping his head up on his hand and drawing small circles on her stomach with his finger once she eased down beside him. Yup, he had done good, and he was admiring his work, a sense of comfort suddenly crashing over him that made him want to run for the hills or wrap his arms around her and never let her go.

Hopefully the bugs downstairs didn't hear too much.


End file.
